Paraguay is set to host the annual meeting of Mercosur business leaders on 28 May 2026 in Asunción. The event brings presidents and representatives of chambers of commerce from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia. The meeting will take place at the Integration House of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) in Asunción. Official activities begin at 9:00. The programme will include business leaders, diplomats, and representatives from both public and private sectors of participating countries.
The National Chamber of Commerce and Services of Paraguay (CNCSP) organises the conference. Paraguay serves as the Pro Tempore President of the Council of Chambers of Commerce of Mercosur (CCCM). The gathering will focus on strengthening regional economic integration, improving intra-regional trade, and developing a common private-sector agenda. Furthermore, the goals are to address the economic and commercial challenges facing the bloc.
Mercosur: The conception of the regional economic bloc
Mercosur(the Southern Common Market) is South America’s leading regional economic integration bloc. On 26 March 1991, the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay signed the Treaty of Asunción in the Paraguayan capital. This result formally established the organisation. The outcome came after years of negotiations between Brazil and Argentina following termination of military rule in both countries.
The bloc was designed to encourage the free movement of goods, services, and people across member nations. Another objective aimed to create a more dynamic commercial environment throughout the Southern Cone. The establishment of free trade agreements among the founding members contributed to increases in foreign direct investment, GDP and GNI throughout the 1990s. Therefore, Mercosur’s role as a driver of regional economic growth is reinforced.
A meeting to focus on trade and competitiveness
The upcoming meeting focuses on facilitating intra-regional trade, strengthening logistics infrastructure, and reducing bureaucratic barriers. The goal is to eliminate obstacles affecting competitiveness and regional integration. The meeting will conclude with business representatives signing a Joint Declaration. This will outline main areas of consensus and key priorities regarding the bloc’s private sector.
Ricardo dos Santos, President of the CNCSP and holder of the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Council, said the meeting represents an important opportunity for the private sector to strengthen its role in regional integration.
“This is a key moment for the private sector to strengthen its role in the regional integration process. The goal is to advance concrete proposals that will allow our companies to operate with greater agility, predictability, and competitiveness within MERCOSUR,” he says.
Importance for Paraguay
Hosting the Mercosur Business Leaders Meeting 2026 reinforces Paraguay’s position as a nucleus for regional business dialogue and integration. As one of Mercosur’s founding members, and the country where the Treaty of Asunción was signed, Paraguay occupies a significant place in the bloc’s history. Recently, the country hosted the signing of the EU-Mercosur treaty in 2026 after 25 years of negotiations.
The meeting also provides Paraguay with an opportunity to strengthen its regional profile. Primarily, this can be accomplished by facilitating discussions on trade, investment, logistics, and economic cooperation. Significantly, this comes at a time when businesses across South America are seeking greater efficiency and competitiveness within the bloc.
