5 February 2007 | Cochabamba
Update on two important Summits -- one official, and one organized by civil society -- that took place between the 5th and 12th of December, 2006, in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and their implications for IIRSA and the model of regional integration.
II Summit of the South American Community of Nations (CSN)
In Cochabamba, Bolivia between December 5th and 12th of 2006, the national presidents of the South American Community of Nations (CSN) and representatives of civil society met to plan the future of South American integration. IIRSA, the infrastructure-driven proposal to connect the economic centers of South America with each other and with export markets, was again on the top of key actors’ agendas. Widely surpassing the expectations of the Organizing Committee, the Social Summit attracted more than 5,000 participants: around 1,000 international representatives and more than 3,500 national participants from indigenous organizations, womens’ organizations, workers, farmers, agriculturists, water workers, human rights defenders, activists against militarization, artists and young people.
South Americans leaders who participated in II Summit CSN included:
- Vice-president of Ecuador Alejandro Serrano,
- President of Guyana Bharrat Jagdeo,
- President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez,
- President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva,
- Vice President of Argentina Daniel Osvaldo Scioli,
- President of Bolivia Evo Morales,
- President of Chile Michelle Bachelet,
- President of Uruguay Tabare Vazquez,
- President of Perú Alan García and
- President of Paraguay Nicanor Duarte.
Also in attendance were the Mexican Secretary for South American Relations Jorge Chen, Representative of Suriname Robby Ramlakhan, Representative of Colombia Maria Consuelo Araujo and the Minister of Social Development of Panama Maria del Carmen Roquebert.
In October of 2006, Evo Morales set the tone of the CSN summit in an open letter proposing the event. He expressed his government’s point of view with respect to integration in calling on the South American Community of Nations to constitute “a true bloc at the economic, social and cultural levels.” Morales also proposed several new initiatives that are currently not part of the Initiative for the Regional Integration of Infrastructure in South American (IIRSA), including the linkages of social service, water and energy, a coordinated fight against corruption, a South American Development Bank, the union of state-owned companies, fair trade initiatives, and physical infrastructure projects that promote local development as a precondition to export. In order to see more on the Summit and the letter of Bolivia’s President Evo Morales, please visit the following links:
The Social Summit for the Integration of the Pueblos
In Cochabamba, a Summit for the Integration of the Pueblos was organized simultaneously by the Hemispheric Social Alliance and the Bolivian movement for the Sovereignty and Integration of the Pueblos.
Organized civil society appears to have come to the recognition that on issues of economic integration they must shift from a defensive strategy to an offensive strategy. Rather than focusing on halting free trade proposals and other constructs of the United States’ restrictive policies in the region, the popular summit focused more on the development of alternatives for a proactive and positive integration. The idea of social and political integration beyond trade agreements is finding increasing traction among civil society in Latin America, who perceive the benefits of increased cooperation. Going down this road means deviating from the paths dictated by external forces including international financial institutions, inter-governmental bodies, “free” trade commercial regimes, and the United States itself. As an alternative, a united South American model would hold tightly to the notion of “reclaiming sovereignty”.
The next challenge for civil society is to put to the test the principles of the “friendly” governments and push them beyond empty rhetoric to the implementation of an integration model that does not simply benefit the richest citizens. It was appropriate that the CSN took place in Bolivia, a country that at this very moment is challenging the most sacred cows of Latin American privilege.
Analysis of the situation after the summits: IIRSA and South American integration
The two Summits raised the profile of integration and IIRSA, particularly with certain segments of the broader social movement including trade unions, indigenous unions, college students, and churches.
It has become apparent that IIRSA as we know it today is seen even by some of its proponents as an inheritance of paradigms of the past (unsustainable mega-projects), opposed to desires of people, and that it requires not only of a revision of the agenda but a total reframing.
In this context, while sensitive to the difficulties of being able to overcome structural barriers and to actually harness a different model of integration, the Summits were occasion for great optimism and deepened expectations for significant change.
Basis for an Alternative Integration
In his letter of October, 2006 Evo Morales proposed some specific initiatives for an alternative model of integration, including the integration of the basic services like water and energy, a coordinated fight against corruption, a South American Development Bank based on the $300 billion in regional reserves, the interconnection of state-owned (parastatal) companies, a regional system of fair trade, and the reorientation of physical infrastructure integration to promote local and inward-looking development. It still remains to be seen whether the CSN will lead to advance in these mega-projects of integration in 2007. For more information go to the following link:
In Cochabamba, new and potentially powerful synergies between civil society movements were formed that surpassed official progress. These pointed the way toward a new course of action dramatically distinct from the IIRSA process in place since 2000, despite contradictory speeches from a small minority of the twelve official representatives present.
The overall result is a growth in the political space to explore true alternatives, but with associated big expectations and very little concrete directio. Where the new balance on integration will fall in 2007 remains an open question.