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OAS SECRETARY GENERAL UNDERSCORES CORRELATION BETWEEN POVERTY AND THE LACK OF INSTITUTIONAL STABILITY

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, speaking today about the socioeconomic and political state of the hemisphere, said that “the current situation in the Americas is one of growth with democracy, which is undoubtedly good news.”

Delivering the keynote address at a conference organized by the Center for American Progress in Washington, Insulza underscored the significant economic and democratic progress seen in the region during the last few years. He cautioned, however, that poverty, inequality and discrimination continue to be the most dangerous challenges in the Americas.

The Secretary General highlighted the correlation between these social problems, citing statistics indicating that nearly 200 million people in the hemisphere live in poverty. “The majority of the poor in Latin America and the Caribbean are of indigenous or African- American descent,” Insulza said, adding that “there is a real discrimination issue, and therefore the fight against poverty must necessarily be accompanied by a fight against discrimination.”

Insulza reiterated that the region is not the poorest in the world but continues to be the most unequal. In that regard, he said that democracy, through the correct exercise of politics and good government, must prove capable of delivering many more benefits to citizens. “Politics is not just a matter of ideas or values; much more importantly, it is also a question of achievements, of results that benefit the people,” Insulza said at the forum on “Anticipating Threats to Democracy in the Americas.”

Economic growth and employment generation, as well as the problems of poverty, discrimination and crime, are all issues that can be resolved by enacting and democratically implementing public policies, Insulza said. “If we want to develop better social services, improve the conditions of the poor, have better education and improve the quality of housing and health, we must have public policies that are apt for the task,” he said.

Insulza called for the strengthening of public institutions and political parties to help address these concerns. “The problem with what’s called the new populism in Latin America is that it’s confronted with non-functioning government institutions, fragile political parties and political systems that the people don’t feel are representative enough for them. If we want to improve that, we have to strengthen the capacity of the governments to deliver as democratic systems,” the Secretary General explained.

Following Insulza’s remarks, a panel of experts continued discussing these issues. On the panel were Cynthia Arnson, Director of the Latin America Program of the Wilson International Center for Scholars; Marcela Sánchez, a journalist with the Washington Post; and Arturo Valenzuela, Director of the Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University.

Reference: E-038/07