Recorded November 1, 2014
Below is the original description of the event.
Chilean Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdés speaks on economic and social development in his country at the 2014 Chile-California Conference at UC Berkeley.
Juan Gabriel Valdés is the current Ambassador of Chile before the US, appointed in April 2014. Mr Valdés boasts an extensive history of diplomatic postings, serving as head of the Foreign Affairs Ministry in the final year of President Eduardo Frei’s administration (1994-2000), as well as Ambassador for Chile to important posts in Spain, Argentina and to the United Nations. Valdés served as Chile’s permanent representative before the U.N. from 2000 through 2003, during which time Chile began its 2003-2004 term as a non-permanent of the U.N. Security Council. Under President Ricardo Lagos.
During his time in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, he played a key role in the opening of discussion for free trade agreements with a range of countries, including the United States and Canada. In 1999 he was awarded the U.S. “Promoting Free Trade” award. Mr Valdes holds a PhD in Political Science from Princeton University obtained in 1976.