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The Fourth Summit of the Americas - Incompatible Models of Development?

By Jean-Louis Roy
President
Rights & Democracy

The proposed integration of the Western hemisphere, launched 10 years ago, is today at an impasse, blocked by incompatible strategies for socio-economic development.

The fourth Summit of the Americas, taking place in Argentina from November 3 to 5, is of considerable importance. It could accentuate the growing rift between the northern and southern halves of the hemisphere. At best, it could help restore conditions for a common search for a shared hemispheric policy aimed at acknowledging the social dimension of the economy. Herein lies the major issue facing this summit of government leaders from North and South America.

Incompatible models?  


The US government, which initiated these Summits in 1994, defends the classic thesis of integral free trade: opening of markets and optimal conditions for investment. According to this thesis, these prerequisites will give rise to economic growth, job creation, reduced poverty and a stronger democracy.
 
For many governments in the southern half of the hemisphere, the American thesis is unacceptable. They believe any proposal to integrate the hemisphere must contribute to solving the social problems that cripple their countries: the continued spread of poverty, deteriorating living conditions, serious job shortage and growing number of precarious jobs, active or suppressed revolts by citizens, heightened insecurity, rise of organized crime, despair among the younger generation and increase in the number of youth gangs, sustained growth of the informal economy and precarious living conditions in indigenous communities.
 
 
In their opinion, while economic growth and investment are indispensable, these factors alone are not likely to rectify a critical social fragmentation and create conditions of confidence and stability, which are indispensable to democratic governance. To deal with the issues and challenges facing populations in the southern half of the hemisphere, this integration must also be social, socially productive and socially acceptable.
 
 
They fear the destructive effects of unrestrained liberalism and the expansion of inequities that are already unacceptable. They also fear the effects of investments that are counterproductive to their countries’ interests and disastrous for the rights of their communities and citizens.
 
 
Lastly, they fear the effects of free trade regulations, which would leave them unable to maintain or develop national policies in strategic sectors and social policies to combat poverty, and to provide assistance to the most vulnerable groups.
 
 
Proposed by and negotiated by all participating countries, the theme of the fourth Summit of the , Creating Jobs to Fight Poverty and Strengthen Democratic Governance, illustrates the nature of the common understanding of the Summit goals.  It reflects the evolution of the negotiations that began 10 years ago and the point they are at today.
 
 

Human rights issues

 
 
In the South, where concentration of revenue is accentuated and where levels of poverty are rising to new heights, the mere exercise of political rights appears to be highly tenuous. While the South has embarked on the path of multi-party political system and formal democracy in the past two decades, the ongoing negation of social and economic rights, for many, endangers these recent democratic achievements, and the extension of social citizenship they heralded.
 
 
As Brazil’s former president stated, “The exercise of political rights and the emergence of a democratic regime do not lead to an immediate resolution of the problems of poverty and social injustice. They do not put an end to injustice.  But they must normally establish the conditions that make this possible, not as an abstract ideal but a system of governance that will ensure freedom and equality.”
 
 
The State must be predicated on the assurance of all human rights. The economic system must contribute to this assurance. This system includes investment, fair trade, taxation, recognition of the right to work and the rights of workers.  Ultimately, all activities to produce goods and services, their quality and their growth must contribute to ensuring an adequate standard of living for all.
 
 
For the Americas and for almost all of their countries, development cannot be disassociated from the demands arising from the rights of indigenous peoples.
 
 
The implementation of human rights is not an optional exercise.
 
 
It is the State’s primary obligation, a condition of social cohesion, the basis for equitable development and the dignity of all members of the human family. It must be based on national policies and continental and international agreements. As a result, participants in the Summit of the must develop and manage the growth of future united hemisphere in accordance with international human rights standards.
 
 

Canada’s role

 
In preparing the fourth Summit of the Americas, Canada has spearheaded the resumption of negotiations aimed at creating a Free Trade Area in the Americas. (FTAA).  It has also sought to place emphasis on human rights imperatives, including consideration for the notion of gender equality. It has yet to propose a vision and a project that integrates these two perspectives. But it must first ratify the American Convention on Human Rights, as witnesses speaking before the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights and the Committee itself have unanimously demanded. This ratification would lend credibility to ’s positions at the Summit of the .
 
 
Given the state of underdevelopment in the southern half of the hemisphere, the classic free trade model and its ensuing policies are insufficient and unacceptable. Any project to integrate the Americas that is likely to garner broad support must combine economic growth, social development and full recognition of political, social and economic rights.
 
 
It is a giant leap from free trade to a hemispheric community. The gulf will, however, have to be progressively bridged to ensure the compatibility of the development models that will be discussed at the fourth Summit of the . Otherwise, hemispheric integration will continue to be defined in narrow terms that jeopardize the realization of human rights and equitable social development.
 
Rights & Democracy is a non-partisan, independent Canadian institution created by an Act of Parliament in 1988 to promote, advocate and defend the democratic and human rights set out in the International Bill of Human Rights. In cooperation with civil society and governments in Canada and abroad, Rights & Democracy initiates and supports programmes to strengthen laws and democratic institutions, principally in developing countries.

For More Information

Please contact Steve Smith (ext 255) or Louis Moubarak (ext 261) at Rights & Democracy, 514-283-6073.