Jamaica: Report of the macro socio-economic effects of the events in western Kingston area 22 May- 7 June 2010

This report was prepared on the request of the Government of Jamaica following the declaration of the state of emergency in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew. The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) recognized the need to have an objective analysis of the total effect of the event, and, so, be in a better position to identify possible programmes and projects which may contribute to the redevelopment of the affected area. The assessment was carried out using the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) methodology. Baseline data fo…

Is the Czech economy a success story?: the case of CzechInvest, the strategic promotion agency in Czech industrial restructuring

The study of CzechInvest, the leading and most prestigious investment and business development agency in the Czech Republic, seeks to describe and analyze the principles underlying the promotion of investment, restructuring and innovation in a country that has undergone a fundamental transformation of its economic, social and political operations in the last 18 years. The country is and interesting example for countries facing the challenges of growing openness to globalized markets and the need to restructure their international exchange patterns and institutional arrangements. The report sh…

Growth and concentration among the leading business groups in Mexico

This article discusses various hypotheses relating to the originand operation of business groups in Mexico, and it proposes a model toexplain the sources of their total asset growth. It highlights their growingcontribution to Mexican gdp, but notes that their shares of employmentand profits are smaller. Over time, sales and assets have clearly tendedto become more concentrated in the largest groups. The paper concludesthat the main financing sources for asset growth between 2005 and 2007were firstly debt and secondly capital contributions from shareholders. Italso finds that the leading groups…

Reforma fiscal verde permitirá preservar el medio ambiente y construir desarrollo más equitativo

(10 de noviembre, 2010) La urgente necesidad de cerrar las brechas de desigualdad que actualmente existen en América Latina y el Caribe debe complementarse con el imperativo de lograr un desarrollo sostenible más bajo en carbono, señaló hoy en Alemania la Secretaria Ejecutiva de la CEPAL, Alicia Bárcena. La alta funcionaria de las Naciones Unidas participó en el Foro América Latina y el Caribe-Unión Europea (ALC-UE): Política fiscal y economía ambientalmente sostenible en el contexto del cambio climático, que se desarrolla en Berlín, convocado por el Ministerio Federal de Cooperación Económica…

CEPAL destaca políticas para lograr economías bajas en carbono

(9 de abril, 2010) La Secretaria Ejecutiva de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), Alicia Bárcena, destacó las políticas y estrategias que podrían implementarse para superar los déficits en materia de servicios sanitarios y vivienda en la región y para la promoción de economías bajas en carbono que ayuden a un desarrollo sostenible de los países. La alta funcionaria de las Naciones Unidas participó en dos sesiones del Foro Económico Mundial para América Latina 2010, que se realizó en Cartagena, Colombia, tituladas "Erradicando los déficits de vivienda" y "Hacia una pr…

Antidumping and the global financial crisis: the impact on Latin America and the Caribbean

Global antidumping activity peaked in 2001, with 366 petitions initiated world-wide, and rapidly diminished to just 163 cases in 2007. With the onset of the current major world-wide recession some observers feared that antidumping usage would climb dramatically; however while antidumping activity was up by 28% in 2008 (to 208 cases initiated, according to WTO statistics), the rise was not nearly commensurate with the financial distress, and new antidumping initiations for the first three quarters of 2009 -at 154 cases- are on pace to show little change for the full year compared to the previou…

Jóvenes con bajo nivel educativo están atrapados en empleos de baja productividad

(9 de febrero 2010) Mientras más bajo sea el nivel educativo de los jóvenes, menor será su acceso a empleos de calidad y alta productividad, particularmente entre las mujeres, afirmó el Secretario Ejecutivo Adjunto de la CEPAL, Antonio Prado, durante el II Foro América Latina y el Caribe - Unión Europea (ALC-UE) que tiene lugar en Lima. El Foro se realiza entre el 8-10 de febrero bajo el título "La promoción del trabajo decente para los jóvenes, nuevas capacidades para nuevos empleos", y en él participan ministros de Estado, altos funcionarios de gobierno de una docena de países de la región y…

Kirchner, a Multilateralist

The premature death of former president Néstor Kirchner is a great loss not only for Argentina, but for the entire international community. Kirchner was a friend of the United Nations and a national and international leader who firmly believed in true multilateralism. A long and distinguished career in public service, which included being intendent of his home town Río Gallegos and governor of Santa Cruz, prepared him well for the challenges he would face early into his presidency. From 2003 to 2007, he boldly tackled the effects of the deepest financial and economic crisis in Argentina's hist…

Trade unions in the "South" in the era of globalization

This article examines the effects of globalization on the trade unionmovement in developing countries (the South );. It concludes, first, thatglobalization has been asymmetrical: much further-reaching for tradein goods than for capital flows, weak for technology transfer and verylimited in migratory flows. Second, it examines the role and economicrepercussions of labour unions. It finds that, contrary to the orthodoxview, these have little negative impact on employment but do significantlyreduce wage inequalities. In view of the shift in the South since the 1980saway from developmen…

Escalafón de la competitividad de los departamentos en Colombia, 2009

Los análisis de estado y dinámica de la competitividad regional se complementan y constituyen un único cuerpo, que hace posible el monitoreo constante de los factores que la promueven e influyen en el diseño de políticas públicas y estimulan las decisiones privadas que convergen para garantizar mayores niveles de competitividad de los territorios subnacionales. Este estudio visita estos dos temas y presenta el posicionamiento de la competitividad de los departamentos colombianos en 2009, y su evolución desde 2000.El Escalafón de Competitividad de los Departamentos de Colombia 2009 es el tercer…

Evaluation of Development Account Project 06/07 H. Implications of macroeconomic policy, external shocks and social protection systems for poverty, inequality and social vulnerability in Latin America and the Caribbean. Final evaluation report

Evaluation report: In-depth Evaluation of the Role of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in the Caribbean

The outlook for agriculture and rural development in the Americas: a perspective on Latin America and the Caribbean, 2010

We are pleased to present the second edition of _e Outlook for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Americas: a Perspective on Latin America and the Caribbean, jointly prepared by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). The purpose of the report is to contribute information and analysis to the complex decision-making process regarding agriculture and rural development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The last two years have been…

Opportunities for convergence and regional cooperation: Unity Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean

En comparación con el período 2003-2007, que fue el más favorable de la economía mundial y regional en 40 años, el futuro presenta mayores desafíos. A principios de la próxima década, tanto la economía como el comercio internacional serán menos dinámicos, habrá mayores tensiones competitivas y presiones proteccionistas, así como más dificultades de acceso al financiamiento. El contexto global posterior a la crisis estará marcado por la desaceleración del crecimiento, las elevadas tasas de desempleo en las economías industrializadas y la necesidad de restaurar la sostenibilidad de las cuentas p…

Public-private partnerships for innovation and export development: the Irish model of development

The social partnership process is acknowledged by most independent observers as an important cornerstone underpinning the rapid economic growth of Ireland. It is seen as a virtuous circle in the economy between government, employers, labor, farmers and voluntary groups encompassing pay, profitability, investment, employment and tax reform. It means that all groups in Irish society have a stakeholding in economic and social progress and in the strengthening of social cohesion. The real secret behind the success of the Irish social partnership model can be summarized in one phrase - a shared u…

Building long term strategies and public-private alliances for export development: the Finnish case

The Finish case of industrial renewal from essentially natural-resource- based industries toward machinery, engineering, electronics, and ICT is of particular relevance for Latin-American countries. The study explains the crucial role of the finish innovation system and the long-term public-private partnership in the industrial transformation towards a higher knowledge intensity and value added economy. The report recognizes the importance of innovation investments, but estimates as equal essential consistent long term strategies on facilitating conditions to build up, cooperative, confidentia…

The tourism sector and the global economic crisis: development implications for the Caribbean

Over the past two years the global economy has experienced substantial economic turmoil, resulting in severe economic contraction. While there has been a recent return to growth, this situation has impacted all economic sectors worldwide. In the highly tourism-dependent region of the Caribbean, the impact of the global economic crisis has been most notable on the tourism sector, which, from the early 1990s, became the key driver of economic growth for the region. The eventual emergence of this sector reflects an economic development history which was previously underpinned by the export of agr…

Fast-tracking the digital revolution: broadband for Latin America and the Caribbean

Los capítulos que conforman este libro, abarcan desde la visión más general del sistema de banda ancha hasta la propuesta de líneas de acción específicas para la política pública. Una parte importante del mismo se destina a evaluar la dinámica y los efectos económicos de la banda ancha en América Latina y el Caribe, esfuerzo que es particularmente difícil, dada la carencia de información sobre el particular, tanto a nivel agregado como sectorial. Esto reafirma una de las recomendaciones de política del último capítulo: la necesidad de avanzar significativamente en el desarrollo de sistemas de …

Skill formation in Uruguay: what are the required labour qualifications for development?

At the global level, trade in services has been the most dynamic sector, with an average growth rate about double that in the primary and manufacturing sectors. However, the three activities have a completely different composition in terms of type of labour, services being the most skill-intensive. In Uruguay, the formation of human resources shows several weaknesses; which leads one to ask: Is Uruguay prepared to take advantage of the opportunities open in the global market? If not, what are the consequences? A simulation exercise was tried consisting of an increase in external demand for ski…

Challenges and Opportunities for a State Role in the Post-Crisis

Abstract: The global financial crisis that emerged in developed countries' markets revealed the shortcomings of an economic policy approach which believed in the self-regulation of markets and minimized the role of the State. The post-crisis reality demands a reformulation of the role of the State. Latin America and the Caribbean countries face this challenge in a context of ongoing changes in the world production structure that threaten its position in the global economy. Although many Latin American and Caribbean countries were successful in overcoming the crisis, four key areas of policymak…