UNASUR NEW SECRETARY-GENERAL WILL BOOST DEVELOPMENT

Quito, September 5 (PL).- Former Colombian president and UNASUR new Secretary-General Ernesto Samper said he will promote development in the region, with a focus on the social, economic and political agendas.

During his fist official press conference at the UNASUR headquarters in Quito, Samper said he will focus on fighting the existing social inequalities in the 12 country members.

Even though South America is not the world's poorest region, it is the most unequal, said Samper adding that there still a lot of work to do in the economic sector in order to provide added value to local exports products.

He also said his work will be focused on energetic integration, connectivity and the development of science and technology.

It is fundamental for UNASUR to create a financial system that pays for the infrastructure works need in the region, said Samper, stating that institutions like the Bank of the South and the Andean Development Corporation could help in this effort.

Regarding the political agenda, the secretary-general said despite the prevailing democracy in the region, there are still threats like trafficking of drugs, weapons and human organs, as well as terrorism and civil insecurity.

In this sense, he announced he would support the initiative promoted by several prosecutors in the area to create a regional criminal court that deals with cross-border crimes.

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