Transcript
INAUGURAL SESSION OF IDB ASSEMBLY
Today, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, became the economic capital of the region with the official inauguration of the forty-seventh Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank.
This is a friendly reunion between the IDB and Brazil, one of its founding members.
And as IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno remarked, the IDB would be unconceivable without Brazil.
Regional experts and finance ministers came to Belo Horizonte with cautious optimism due to the turbulence in the economy and a price increase of raw materials…
…but also cautious that the countries in the region are far from reaching the goals set a decade ago.
SOT
Luis Alberto Moreno
IDB President
“In relative terms Latin America and the Caribbean are presently less important than we were when the Bank was established in 1959. We used to represent 6 per cent of the world’s gross national product and today is no different.
Moreno indicated that the region is still not able to defeat the two strongholds of its stagnation, poverty and the unfair distribution of wealth.
The IDB President reiterated this is the main cause of discontent and frustration in the region.
SOT
Luis Alberto Moreno
IDB President
“These unsatisfied demands explain vast discontentment, desperation and on occasion, anger that contaminates the masses and causes at certain times eruption of new forces in the Latin American political scene”.
Moreno stressed that the IDB should be an important instrument in restoring hope to the region, and for that, it should, among other measures:
- Be more flexible and know the needs of its clients, the countries.
- Serve as an instrument to encourage growth and investment in the private sector and strengthen the region’s infrastructure.
- Decentralize and make itself more efficient.
But even with these remedies there is no cure-all pill.
SOT
Luis Alberto Moreno
IDB President
“There isn’t a single unique model, neither magical consensus, nor miraculous recipe. Development is a process of trial and error. But there are, naturally, reasonable things that we all have to do and already know in general what they are”.
The Presidents of Honduras, José Manuel Zelaya, and Bolivian President
Evo Morales, participated in the ceremony and both asked the Bank’s assistance to undertake substantial reforms against poverty.
SOT
Jose Manuel Zelaya
President of Honduras
“We come here, by honorable means to request the support of the governors and the countries of America, so that the Inter-American Development Bank join the guidelines already made by the World Bank, by the Paris Club, by the G-7 and the International Monetary Fund. If the 5 poorest countries of America, introduce an initiative, like it was done yesterday here at the Governors’ Assembly, an initiative that could analyze the best approach and the bank could introduce in its financing schemes an alternate means for relief and relieve the debts of Bolívia, Haiti, Guyana, Nicarágua and Honduras”.
Next, Morales made a passionate defense of what he called the democratic and peaceful revolution of his country to end, the dark history of exploiting resources from Bolivia.
But Morales invited repeatedly the participants in general and IDB in particular to unite towards this effort without resentments or vengeance, saying that what Bolivia wants are partners and not bosses.
SOT
Ebo Morales
President of Bolivia
“...together with intellectuals, professionals, indigenous people and all different races and ethnicities, we want change so that there is equality and justice for all. Fortunately in Bolivia, I have had the opportunity to meet with all different socioeconomic classes that share our struggle. The struggle of the poor people and this sympathetic people, a compassionate people who together will help facilitate our transformation to a democratic and pluralistic country.
While here in Belo, Morales and Zelaya will have plenty of opportunities to search for solid partners.
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