MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

IDB to address Latinamerica' “left turn”

The Inter-American Development Bank, IDB, will address in the coming Annual General Assembly the “left turn” taking place in several Latinamerican countries, said Ernesto Stein chief economist of the bank in London.

"The political changes taking place in the region will play an important role in the Assembly that will be held April 3/5 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil", added Mr. Stein.

The economist who visited London for a conference in Canning House said that the left turn that is being experienced in countries such as Bolivia and Chile represent a change but with "different shades", not necessarily homogeneous.

Another of the big issues to be addressed in the coming Belo Horizonte assembly is the restructuring of the bank, particularly since the naming of a new president, Luis Alberto Moreno from Colombia.

"The bank has a new president and is in the process of restructuring. Most probably one of the issues in the assembly will be the restructuring of IDB".

Moreno a former ambassador in United States took over last October from Enrique Iglesias from Uruguay, currently head of the Ibero-American General Secretariat.

Stein added that the IDB will consider in the coming assembly ways to "incorporate the private sector" to the bank's efforts".

Mr. Stein conference in London dealt with "Politics and policies", a bank report released last November and which emphasizes on the political process for ensuring success of public policies in Latinamerica.