…says lifting the poor into a world of opportunity is a priority of each gov’t
THE second meeting of the Council on Social Development of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) took place at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, yesterday. Guyana Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Ms. Priya Manickchand chaired the pro tempore forum aimed at reviewing both the accomplishments of the Council over the past year, as well as the 2009-2011 Plan of Action adopted by the first Council meeting in Ecuador in 2009.
The latter blueprint includes the formulation of guidelines for the establishment of common social development policies among UNASUR Member States and the creation of technical working groups in the field and the promotion of cooperation in border areas, in an effort to reduce poverty there.
Noting the importance of the gathering, Minister Manickchand expressed confidence that new ideas and commitments, in support of UNASUR’s efforts towards advancing the social development of the South American people, would have been forwarded.
Additionally, she said the social programmes of individual countries can benefit through the sharing of information and expertise and suggested specific areas where the Council could advance its work.
Manickchand said those include the harmonisation of social policies viewed as critical to the integration of UNASUR. As such, the process should be conducted in a systematic way and, possibly, in collaboration with other Councils, so as to avoid duplication.
She urged the participants to identify priority areas of action so as to maximise limited resources.
Manickchand said, with regional integration being viewed as first and foremost a political process, more emphasis should be placed on asymmetries.“It is of pivotal importance that outcomes of regional integration are perceived to be balanced.”
She cautioned that the renewed growth and economic optimism witnessed by some countries of the Union, despite the financial crisis, must not affect the internal cohesion of the group.

Priorities
Calling for the reduction of asymmetries to be one of the priorities, Manickchand advocated for the Council to address the identification of programmes to support the goals of UNASUR for addressing the common challenges of the people of the region in areas of social inclusion and economic development, by targeting at risk groups in workforce development activities.
She posited that lifting the poor and disadvantaged out of poverty and into the world of opportunity is a priority of each of the governments of UNASUR Member States and said the Council of Social Development has a critical role to play in that regard.
Manickchand reminded that, as countries of the Union move towards full integration, coordination of policies, as they relate to universal access to basic social services, will become even more important.
She said it may, therefore, be necessary for the Council to begin to focus on the conclusion of an agreement to be adopted by Member States, relating to basic social security services.
Meanwhile, the 29th Meeting of the Council of Delegates of UNASUR which will also be held at the GICC, would undertake a review of UNASUR activities, in order to provide guidance to the work being undertaken in 2011.
It would, too, examine a proposal by Guyana on the organisational structure and budget for the Permanent Secretariat of UNASUR which is soon to be constructed in Quito, Ecuador.
Two weeks ago, UNASUR Foreign Ministers met in Quito to celebrate the entry into force of the Constitutive Treaty and discuss the appointment of a Secretary-General.