ST. JOHN'S Antigua, February 5th 2012 -- At the ALBA summit in Venezuela this weekend, President Hugo Chavez announced the elaboration of an economic framework — called EcoAlba — for the bloc, as well as the creation of a permanent secretariat, and two small nations officially gained full membership in the trade and integration agreement.
EcoAlba defines economic rules within the ALBA bloc, which “allows its positioning on an international level.
EcoAlba will define issues such as “linking and complementarity of production, coordination of economic policies, technical preparation for joint projects at a proper educational institution, the organizational structure necessary to allow continuity of the ALBA Economic Council, and the expansion of the range of the Banco del ALBA and Sucre.
“EcoAlba is a political and geopolitical platform that allows to launch a more ambitious economic project,” Chavez said during the opening speech of the 9th ALBA summit at the presidential palace in Caracas.
Discussions at the summit included an expansion of the Sucre currency compensation system to include Ecuador, and an ALBA-Argentina agreement for economic, scientific and technological cooperation. The ALBA bloc is supporting Argentina’s claim for the Falkland Islands, known as Malvinas in Latin America, against the United Kingdom.
Use of the Sucre trade compensation system expanded from six transactions and a total of 10 million Sucre in 2010 — the year it was launched — to 431 transaction totaling 216 million Sucres in 2011.
Suriname and Santa Lucia formally joined ALBA during a ceremony Feb. 5, in the presence of Prime Ministers Desire Delano Bouterse and Kenny Anthony. This brings the total membership of the bloc to 11 nations.
Haitian President Michel Martelly was in Caracas to thank the ALBA members for their support and announce Haiti’s “permanent observer” status in the bloc.
The ALBA summit passed a new work plan for Haiti, which includes health, education, energy, food production, infrastructure and technical assistance. Cuba, Venezuela and ALBA have played a crucial role in Haiti’s post-earthquake reconstruction since 2010, providing relief services and investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the country’s energy and healthcare infrastructure.
A Cuba-led program in Haiti provided 800,000 emergency surgeries and currently operates 23 community hospitals, 30 rehabilitation rooms, nine health centers, as well as an eye surgery program and a program to battle cholera.
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Antigua News