On Wednesday (23rd) morning, the City of São Paulo participated of the Virtual Economic Diplomacy Forum "Global Recovery Through the Pandemic and Beyond", organized by the Office of International Relations of the City of Atlanta (USA). Aiming to dialogue on economic recovery in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, the online meeting was attended by representatives from the cities of Amsterdam (Netherlands), Seoul (South Korea) and São Paulo, in addition to listeners from around the world.

During the event, the speakers presented strategies adopted by local governments to support business and commerce during the pandemic. The central agenda of the debate was the issue of work. The Atlanta representative, Vanessa Ibarra, Director of the International Relations Office of the City of Atlanta, highlighted the realization of virtual business rounds and the creation of a newsletter to keep economic partners informed. The Amsterdam representative, Peter de Kruijk, Director of Amsterdam Trade & Innovate, pointed out the initiatives to help the private initiative during the quarantine, while the representative from Seoul, Jae Wook Jeong, Director of Invest Seoul Center, cited the attraction of foreign investments as an alternative to encourage the recovery of the economy in the country. From São Paulo, Luiz Alvaro Salles Aguiar de Menezes, Secretary of International Relations, highlighted the innovation to promote trade, with remote assistance to entrepreneurs and the availability of online courses and training for the professional improvement of workers.

The forum allowed the exchange of practices to foster the generation of work and income, demonstrating how the cities are acting in the economic recovery of Covid-19. The meeting also reinforced the importance of international strategic partnerships to overcome the multi-crisis of the coronavirus.