Paraguay: A Strategic Partner, achieving Investment Grade Status and Reform

About this event

Hear about the current state of affairs in Paraguay, its economic development, and its increasing geopolitical importance from Lou Villalba, Honorary Consul of Paraguay to British Columbia. We'll touch on lessons learned from stability, energy transition and welcoming economic context. Some important challenges will be highlighted, including climate change and poverty reduction.

The SFU School for International Studies' Consular Conversations series is a monthly public forum featuring discussions with members of the Consular Corps in Vancouver. These conversations are moderated by Dr. Ricardo Arredondo, an IS Adjunct Professor and Consul General of Argentina. The goal is to bring together the Consular Corps of British Columbia for public lectures that encourage dialogue on issues that transcend borders, explore inspiring topics, and cultivate connections. The primary audience will be members of the Consular Corps of British Columbia and the Schools for International Studies and Public Policy. This is an exceptional opportunity for students in both SFU units.

Speaker Bio

Lou Villalba (PhD, EdD) is a permanent professor at Capilano University and a graduate instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in the School of Business in British Columbia, Canada. He has more than 20 years of academic experience in International Business, Economics, Latin American Studies and Economic Development. He has extensive teaching experience teaching in North America, Europe, Latin America. He has a B.Sc. from the University of Maryland in College, Park, MD; an M.A. in Latin American Studies and Economics from the University of Kansas; an M.A.T in social science education at Piedmont University in Athens, GA; an M.D.L. in Development and Leadership; a PhD in Business and Economics from the University of Kansas with applied research at UNIDA-Paraguay. He also holds a doctoral degree in Education Science from the same institution. He defended in the Summer of 2023 a post-doctoral degree on systems of improvement at post-secondary institutions in British Columbia and currently working on post-doctoral fellowship at Universita’ Mediterranea de Reggio, Calabria.

Dr. Villalba is Honorary Consul of Paraguay to British Columbia, Canada. He serves in the Diplomatic Corps of British Columbia as well as in the Latin American Diplomatic Corps of British Columbia (Grulavan). He is proud to serve as a commercial and educational link between BC and Latin America.

He has been Chief Monetary officer of the Central Bank of Paraguay and also served for several years at the Board of the World Bank and the G.E.F – Global Environmental Facility in Washington D.C. Back in 2019 he was recognized as one of the Ten Most Influential Hispanic Canadians.

In the last seven years, has done research and development work in Paraguay, Argentina, China, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, the United States and Canada.