ECLAC: STRENGTHENING INDUSTRY IS A PREREQUISITE FOR ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT

Santiago, February 28- "Strengthening industry is a prerequisite for achieving societies with more and better quality jobs, and a more equal income distribution", according to the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Bárcena, speaking last night in Buenos Aires.

Bárcena visited Argentina to sign technical cooperation agreements with the country's Government and take part in the launch ceremony of the 2020 Strategic Industrial Plan, in which ECLAC is involved.

"Countries can only take advantage of all the potential of the domestic market and international trade if they have long-term industrial policies", added the representative of this regional United Nations agency.

Bárcena stated that the recently launched ECLAC document "Time for equality: closing gaps, opening trails" highlighted the importance of closing productive gaps, both internal and external ones, hence the importance of strengthening industry.

The 2020 Strategic Industrial Plan was presented by the Argentine leader, Cristina Fernández, during a ceremony at the Pink House (the seat of the Executive). She was accompanied by the Ministry of Industry, Débora Giorgi, and the Ministry of the Economy, Amado Boudou, as well as other senior officials.

Through an agreement concluded with the Ministry of Industry, ECLAC will participate in a consultation process with chambers of commerce, unions and universities on strategic guidelines for the industrial development of Argentina.

From March, the Government will be holding forums with various stakeholders covering the 10 sections in the Strategic Plan, including machinery for agriculture, footwear, cars and parts, medicines, capital goods, dairy products, poultry and pork, textiles and clothes, construction materials and software.

The aims of the government plan are to double the sector's gross output and manufacturing exports in 10 years, as well as bringing down unemployment.

According to President Cristina Fernández, speaking at the launch of the initiative "the aim of this Strategic Industrial Plan is to add value and strengthen Argentina's industrial policy".

During her visit to the Argentine capital, the ECLAC Executive Secretary also signed an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to set up an institutional framework to facilitate joint activities, such as the formulation of indicators and information systems for public policymaking, policy assessment and training.

This agreement includes the completion of six studies based on the policies and approaches adopted by various countries and regions in terms of agriculture. These will be used to inform the 2010-2016 Participatory and Federal Strategic Plan on Agri-Food and Agro-Industry, launched last year by President Fernández.

Bárcena also signed a supplementary document on technical cooperation, in the framework of an agreement concluded by ECLAC and the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security in 2002, for the exchange of experiences and information.

One of the aims is to carry out joint work on the information generated by the Ministry of Labour's Observatory on Employment and Business Dynamics.

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