Investing in a Sustainable Future: Inter-American Development Bank Support for the Goals of the Santa Cruz de La Sierra Summit
(12/96, En, Es) See also Environment and Natural Resources
The Inter-American Development Bank is pleased to be associated
with this historic meeting of the Heads of State for the Summit
Conference on Sustainable Development in Santa Cruz de la Sierra,
Bolivia.
During the past decade, the concept of sustainable development
has been a central worldwide theme for politicians and academics
alike. It represents a synthesis of the overarching objectives
of integrated development which has come to characterize the efforts
of the vast majority of countries in the waning years of this
century.
For Latin America and the Caribbean, sustainable development encompasses the broad objectives of our societies: sustainable economic development based on modernization, openness and competitiveness; greater social justice achieved through reductions in current levels of poverty, increased investments in human capital to create new opportunities, and improvements in the distribution of income; democratic institutions that respect human rights, as well as the participation of citizens in the political process and the quest for a national consensus on the future of our societies; and equitable growth that improves the quality of life and respects our natural resources in the cities and rural areas.
The key to achieving these ambitious goals lies in each of our
countries, through the use of appropriate economic and social
policies, promoted by national governments and with the active
participation of the private sector and other segments of society.
Nevertheless, it is clear that this effort requires active international
cooperation. The Summit in Miami and this Summit in Santa Cruz
are aimed at mobilizing greater hemispheric solidarity. Following
the mandate issued by its governors in 1994 at the time of the
Eighth Replenishment, the Inter-American Development Bank has
incorporated all the goals of sustainable development into its
strategies. To support those goals, the Bank will respond by
cooperating with each Government and collaborating in programs
for regional action.
In many of these efforts, we are associated, or seek to associate
ourselves, with other regional organizations, the United Nations
and its specialized agencies, the European Union, and bilateral
cooperation agencies.
In this document, we inform the Heads of State meeting in Santa
Cruz of the Bank's present and future efforts that respond to
the call of the Santa Cruz Summit to international organizations
in support of its Declaration.
Enrique V. Iglesias
President
CONTENTS
Prologue
Last updated: 05/08/07
