Bogotá, Nov 8 (EFE). - The development of a cluster is a challenge that "is just beginning" for Latin America, said expert Ricardo Hausmann in Bogotá today, who warned that many of these initiatives, especially those planned, "have not finished curdling" in the region.

"This is a challenge that Latin America has just begun in the sense that in this idea of �??�??initiative cluster, which takes a few years, you see a lot of activity and goodwill in terms of trying to create new solutions, that there is some innovation, "Hausmann told Efe at the Second day of the World Cluster Congress that takes place in Bogotá.

However, Hausmann, who directs the International Development Center of Harvard University, warned that the "desired, planned" clusters have not "finished coagulating" in the region.

"So, in a sense, natural clusters are the secret of development," he said. Professor, for whom the idea of �??�??stimulating these initiatives "as a way to grow is one thing" that "must be learned to do well".

Hausmann mentioned Costa Rica and Mexico as Success stories in this area, stating that "they have changed the profile of their export package to more complex activities, with more added value and higher technology".

that on Colombia he observed that it is "a country extraordinarily closed to immigration", which, in his opinion, supposes a barrier that "attempts against growth" and makes it difficult for them to diversify export products.

"Latin America can diversify into things it does not do today, but tomorrow it could be done because someone in the world does them. the countries learn to do those things because they open up to immigration, "he added.

The expert warned that the" problem "of immigration policy in Colombia" is killing the competitiveness ".

" In European countries, the average number of foreigners living (...) is 14% or 15%, in Colombia it is 0.25% ", he illustrated. Desarrollo Empresarial, Daniel Arango Ángel, said that "as long as there are foreign entrepreneurs investing in Colombia, they will contribute to greater economic growth."

The Congress World Cluster, organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá (CCB), will meet tomorrow in the Colombian capital delegates from 40 countries under the theme "The future of clusters through collaboration between countries and regions. "

Today, which revolved around" best practices ", was inaugurated by the CCB's executive president, Monica de Greiff, together with the president of TCI Network, Christian Ketels, and the senior advisor of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Ernesto Stein.