EL SALVADOR TO HOST THE THIRTY-FOURTH SESSION OF ECLAC

Santiago, April 11- By signing an agreement, the Government of El Salvador and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) formalized yesterday in San Salvador that the country will host the Thirty-fourth Session of this UN organization, to be held from 27-31 August.

The host agreement, signed by Hugo Martínez, Foreign Secretary of El Salvador, and the Director of the Sub-Regional Headquarters of ECLAC in Mexico, Hugo Beteta, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contains both agencies' commitment to the successful organization of this international event. The Officer-in-Charge of the Secretariat of the Commission, Luis F. Yáñez, also took part in the ceremony.

"This meeting, apart from being the most important event in ECLAC's biennial cycle of activities, is especially relevant to El Salvador, as it will be the first time in history that the Session - an event that has taken place since 1948, when the multi-lateral body was founded - is celebrated in the country. Therefore, this is a commitment we are very honored to take on," said Foreign Secretary Martínez, after having signed the agreement.

The head of the El Salvadorian diplomacy and the representative of ECLAC mentioned that the analyses to be carried out during discussions at the Thirty-fourth Session will revolve around three major topics: macroeconomics for development, small economies and results or effects of the economic crisis. "As you can see, topics are highly relevant to the current situation and to the economic and social future of Latin America," said Martínez.

The document that ECLAC will present during the Session will focus on structural policies necessary to promote economic growth by increasing jobs and equality - as a continuation of the contents addressed in the previous book (Time for Equality: Closing Gaps, Opening Trails) in 2010.

The new road map of the organization, as stated by the Officer-in-Charge of the Secretariat of the Commission, highlights the need to consider interrelationships between growth in the long term and short-term cycles in economies that are open to trade and capital flows.

The document elaborates on and furthers into policy proposals where the three dimensions - productive development, macroeconomic stability and inequality reduction - are addressed in an articulate manner.

As Minister Martínez said, the election of El Salvador to host this ECLAC Session reflects the important position of the country in the region and will be, once again, an opportunity to demonstrate the organizational and logistical capacity of El Salvador, as did in June 2011, then the 41st General Assembly of the OAS took place.

Likewise, the Foreign Minister added that this will show the inter-agency coordination capacity among the three governmental bodies of El Salvador in charge of this task: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and the Technical Secretariat of the Presidency.

Around 400 delegates - including Foreign Ministers, Ministers of Economy and Trade from more than 50 member States - are expected to attend the event.

<