Luis Alberto Moreno: Lessons in liberation from Latin America
[The writer is president of the Inter-American Development Bank.]
As Egypt, Tunisia, and other Middle Eastern nations eye the perilous transition to democracy, President Barack Obama is giving voice to a rapidly growing sentiment: they should look to the recent experience of Latin America. During his just-concluded trip to the region Mr Obama saw the extraordinary advances the region has made since the “lost decade” of the 1980s, when military regimes in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay collapsed in quick succession after many years in power.
Two decades ago the continent was filled with ruined economies, weakened institutions and pent-up demands for justice, jobs, better public services and a more equitable distribution of national wealth. Yet 20 years later, it is entering “the Latin American decade”. Despite remaining inequities, brisk economic growth, sound fiscal management, regular elections and a healthy civil society by and large are now the norm across the hemisphere.
True, Latin America and the Middle East have significant historical and cultural differences. However, I see four concrete actions taken by Latin America that stand as lessons to those seeking a new democratic era in the Middle East...
Read entire article at Financial Times (UK)
As Egypt, Tunisia, and other Middle Eastern nations eye the perilous transition to democracy, President Barack Obama is giving voice to a rapidly growing sentiment: they should look to the recent experience of Latin America. During his just-concluded trip to the region Mr Obama saw the extraordinary advances the region has made since the “lost decade” of the 1980s, when military regimes in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay collapsed in quick succession after many years in power.
Two decades ago the continent was filled with ruined economies, weakened institutions and pent-up demands for justice, jobs, better public services and a more equitable distribution of national wealth. Yet 20 years later, it is entering “the Latin American decade”. Despite remaining inequities, brisk economic growth, sound fiscal management, regular elections and a healthy civil society by and large are now the norm across the hemisphere.
True, Latin America and the Middle East have significant historical and cultural differences. However, I see four concrete actions taken by Latin America that stand as lessons to those seeking a new democratic era in the Middle East...