Attorney Álvaro Espinoza was appointed Undersecretary for Free Trade Area Development of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), based in Montevideo, Uruguay. The appointment was formalized by the Committee of Representatives on 6 December and will take office in the first quarter of 2018.
A graduate of Universidad Diego Portales, Espinoza joined the General Directorate of International Economic Relations (Direcon) in 1992. Since then, he has served as legal advisor, including a five-year term as delegate to the Permanent Mission of Chile to the World Trade Organization (WTO). He is currently Head of the WTO Department at Direcon.
The professional has a long history linked to the WTO. His work is highlighted on four occasions as an arbitrator in international disputes between members of the Organization. He has also been a professor of international trade for more than ten years.
Among the functions that he will have to perform in his new position are to direct and follow up the agreements signed under the Treaty of Montevideo 1980; to support the negotiations of member countries; to analyze and follow up the agreements in order to promote their convergence; and to supervise the studies and activities required to fulfil the mandates of the Council of Ministers in terms of rules and disciplines.