A new tool for reflection

In spite of the important achievements reached over the past years through liberalization and commercial opening programs, the regional integration process has shown fragility when facing the recurrent crises in the region, revealing a necessary review of the current strategy.

Commercial components are necessary but not enough to turn integration into an effective vehicle to face adverse situations, especially those deriving from the current volatility of the financial markets, as well as to contribute to the economic development of the countries.

ALADI has always tried to provide a global vision on integration subjects from a systemic framework in which economic, political, social and cultural factors are related and condition each other in a complex reality. Therefore, when reviewing the integration strategies, it is important to take into account all the experience gained through twenty years of work for the member countries, in order to provide an environment for collective reflection, which may lead to the creation of a sustainable integration.

The crises experienced by the continent can not be an excuse for stopping the integration process. On the contrary, crises can only be overcome by integrating all the potential and strength of each country. Integration has never been so necessary and every effort to achieve it must be supported and promoted.

Besides the multiple activities carried out by the General Secretariat, and since the creation of the Latin-American Chair on Integration in Uruguay, in 2002, it is our goal to establish Chairs in each member country.

We believe that the reflection on the integration process requires appropriate ambits, allowing serious, rigorous and deep discussions. Therefore, the academic ambit is the appropriate one, being also useful as a link to other sectors of society, which are very often left aside.