Argentina-U.S. Strategic Forum

Argentina’s political history, geographic size, and economic potential help make it a keystone country in Latin America, and present significant areas for mutually beneficial engagement with the United States. In recognition of this relationship, the Argentina-U.S. Strategic Forum was launched in 2017 by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. to promote a closer and more stable bilateral relationship between Argentina and the United States, independent of changes in political leadership in either country.

The Argentina-U.S. Strategic Forum is led by representatives from the private sector and is co-chaired by Marcos Bulgheroni and Maurice R. Greenberg. The Forum regularly engages with government officials, experts from international organizations, and civil society actors. In this way, the Forum complements existing platforms for official bilateral discussions, including the High-Level Consultative Mechanism, the Bilateral Commercial Dialogue, and other fora. This work is guided by the principle that cooperation between both the governments and private sectors of Argentina and the United States is vital for stability not only between the two countries, but across the entire Americas region.

Forum members have had the opportunity to meet with high-level U.S. government officials from various agencies, key private sector representatives working in Argentina, and political analysts focused on the region. These conversations encompassed topics such as judicial reform, energy and the environment, and each country’s response to Covid-19.

Strategic Forum Activities

The forum employs a combination of virtual, hybrid, and in-person activities where members can exchange insights with experts on key facets impacting on the bilateral relationship. Regular program activities include virtual private roundtables, exchanges where forum members travel for in-person programming, and public events. The Forum also contributes in-depth analysis of Argentina-U.S. relations to help shape the conversation in Washington, D.C. and beyond.

Strategic Forum Highlights

Recent Programming

Rare Minerals and Climate Change: Featuring Dr. Daniele La Porta, senior mining specialist at the World Bank, this event delved into the major changes occurring in the mining sector as demand grows not only for rare earth minerals, but also for the sustainable extraction of these resources. As home to the second-largest lithium deposits in the world, the future of Argentina’s mining sector will have major implications for the country’s economy, and global efforts to meet the rising demand for rare earth minerals.

Post-Pandemic Digital Transformation: This event featured Dr. Jim Lewis, CSIS Senior Vice President and Director of the CSIS Strategic Technologies Program. With the pace of technological advancement constantly accelerating, the next 3-5 years will likely be host to dramatic changes in the global economy and daily life. Governments, businesses, and private citizens alike will therefore have to grapple with the future of digital currencies, the displacement of labor by automation, and the connection between the educational and digital divides.

Mitigating the Economic Effects of the Pandemic: Featuring Stephanie Segal, senior fellow of the CSIS Economics Program this event focused on conventional versus unconventional paths to economic recovery, the relationship between economic policies and political popularity, as evidenced by recent events in Colombia, and lessons learned from pandemic responses in Taiwan, Brazil, and the United States. It also stressed the unlikely opportunities which emerged from the pandemic, especially in the acceleration of digital economies around the world.

The Role of the Private Sector in Cybersecurity: This event featured Suzanne Spaulding, director of the CSIS Defending Democratic Institutions project and Senior Adviser with the CSIS International Security Program. The conversation focused on the essential role companies played in defending national critical infrastructure against malign actors, using the frame of recent U.S. sanctions against Russia.

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: Featuring Dr. Whitley Saumweber, director of the CSIS Stephenson Ocean Security Project and Senior Associate with the CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, explored the link between IUU fishing and all aspects of society, including food security, the environment, and national sovereignty. Forum members also had the opportunity to discuss the possible effects on the bilateral relationship between Argentina and the U.S. and the need for robust diplomatic engagement to counter IUU fishing.

Who’s Who in the Biden-Harris Administration? In this event CSIS Senior Adviser Liliana Ayalde presented the officials and policy advisors who would make up the Biden Cabinet and addressed how these individuals could impact U.S. policy towards Latin America and Argentina in areas such as trade, energy, and human rights. She addressed the importance of diversity in his Cabinet, the expected hurdle of confirmations in the Senate, and the unique opportunity to find allies that can focus on energy and economics together.

Opportunities in Latin America for the Biden-Harris Administration: This event brought together a trio of high-level former U.S. officials to present scenarios for how the new U.S. administration can productively engage in the region. It featured Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne, former U.S. Ambassador to Argentina; Kimberly Breier, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs; and Ambassador William Brownfield, former U.S. Ambassador and U.S. Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Exchanges

Director’s Program Activity in Buenos Aires

Publications

Director’s Communiqué

The Director’s Communiqué complements forum meetings with monthly curated and well-timed analysis. The contents of this document include information on new developments relevant to the content of previous Forum events, high-level meetings and/or developments between members of the Argentine and U.S. governments, regional developments and events that involve the foreign policy interests of both countries, and domestic events likely to impact both countries.

Browse previous communiqués below