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- OAS: Competitiveness tied to citizen security
OAS: Competitiveness tied to citizen security
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador - Increasing competitiveness in the region is tied to increasing citizen security, according to private sector leaders at the VII Private Sector Forum, held June 2-3 in this Central American capital as a parallel event to the 41st General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS).
Representatives delivered their recommendations in areas such as security, a corporation's role in improving the community, innovation, competitiveness and the region's overall business climate to delegates of OAS member nations during a session titled "Dialogue with the Private Sector" at the General Assembly meeting.
"Competitiveness guarantees security and economic development that generates [social] inclusion," said Henry Kronfle, president of the Latin American Industrials Association (AILA) and one of the speakers at the event. "[The lack of] citizen security is a grave problem in the region and it requires urgent measures. The lack of citizen security feeds from ignorance, unemployment and organized crime."
Seventy-five percent of businesspersons said the lack of citizen security has negatively impacted the investment climate of their countries in the past three years, according to a poll conducted by private sector organizations in the region and made public at the meeting.
"We identified a series of themes that are intertwined with security and competitiveness," said Jorge Lukowski, executive director of Private Sector of the Americas, an organization that supports the sector throughout the region and presented the results of the poll.
John Craig, representative of the Business Technical Advisory Committee on Labor Matters (CEATAL), an organization affiliated with the OAS, added: "The lack of security not only lowers investment levels, but slows economy development and generates less employment. Crime and violence also damage infrastructure and services. Countries with high levels of criminality and corruption have problems to entice private investments."
An alliance between public and private sector to strengthen the enforcement of laws is paramount to creating and maintaining citizen security, said Elena María de Alfaro, president of Salvadoran NGO Entrepreneurial Foundation for Social Action (FUNDEMAS).
"Without judicial security, competitiveness and physical security will not be possible," she said. "We recommend countries urgently form a public-private alliance for judicial and physical security that coordinates actions all over the region to combat insecurity."
She added: "Civil security also can improve with the help of other sectors, besides the government. We ask for the opportunity to help improve the judicial process and ask you to consider corporate social responsibility as a tool against insecurity and crime."
Alfonso Quiñónez, OAS secretary for External Relations, agrees with de Alfaro.
"Consolidating peace, security and cooperation in our Hemisphere requires trust, participation, and the creative capacity of our societies," he said. "The OAS General Secretariat recognizes the major contribution made by the private sector to promote social development and sustainable economic growth with equity and social inclusion in the countries of the region."
Mario Miguel Canahuati, foreign minister of newly re-admitted OAS member Honduras, said OAS member nations need to provide residents with well-paying jobs so they won't have to turn to crime to provide for their families.
"Work must be the bridge between the present and the future aspirations of the citizens," Canahuati said. "Small and medium size entrepreneurs must receive support from the government and the private sector."
Jaime Miranda, El Salvador's deputy minister for cooperation and development, called for "more and stronger public-private partnerships to achieve economic growth, equity, and poverty reduction."
"Private sector is a valuable player that also has to fulfill a social responsibility and generate opportunities for the different segments of society, especially the most vulnerable," he said.
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