Obvious signs of reform fatigue, serious backlashes in some countries, and overall disappointment about gross performance in the region have dimmed the hopes for future reform in Latin America and the Caribbean. However, three recent publications in the Latin American Development Forum series — Beyond Reforms: Structural Dynamics and Macroeconomic Vulnerability; Keeping the Promise of Social Security in Latin America; and Privatization in Latin America: Myths and Reality — offer new prospects for encouraging development. In a session at World Bank headquarters on June 22, 2005, regional experts came together to discuss and debate these works. The event was sponsored by the World Bank, the InfoShop, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Santiago Pombo, Senior Editor of the Latin American Development Forum, chaired the session, offering introductory remarks. Keynote speaker François Bouguignon, Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, said that these publications could very well provide the key to successful reforms in Latin America and the Caribbean. Jose Antonio Ocampo, U.N. Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and editor of Beyond Reforms, argued that economic growth in developing countries is intrinsically tied to the dynamics of production structures, the specific policies and institutions created to support it , and the creation of linkages among domestic firms and sectors. Addressing points raised in Keeping the Promise of Social Security in Latin America, Guillermo Perry, Bank Chief Economist for the Latin America and the Caribbean Region, explained that the book evaluates policy reforms in 12 countries, points to successes and shortcomings, and proposes priorities and options for future reform. Alberto Chong, Senior Economist in the IDB Research Department and co-editor of Privatization in Latin America, described recent studies that provide a comprehensive analysis of the record of and accusations against privatization, with a focus on seven particular South American states.
Discussant Eduardo Lora, Principle Adviser of the IDB Research Department, looked at several common threads throughout the three works. In a question and answer period, attendees asked about land reform issues and whether some reforms have perpetuated inequality.
|
Home
> Learning
& Knowledge > BSPAN
> Presentation
High Speed
Low Speed
