- Authors:
Padro Caldentey del Pozo - Publication:
CEPAL – Serie Estudios y Perspectivas – México – N° 156. - Year: 2014
Abstract
This document presents an overview of the international environment and its implications for the Central American integration process in the medium term (2014-2017). It identifies three forces of global change that impact the Central American scenario: the reordering of the global multilateral framework, the emergence of Latin America in the global order and the transformation of the global development agenda.
In the face of the changing global environment, the Central American subregion needs to review the model of international insertion implemented to date. It is also essential to reflect on the way in which its regional integration scheme is positioned and reacts to the emergence of regional integration paradigms in Latin America. Finally, the analysis deals with the exhaustion of the Esquipulas Agreement (1987) as the axis of the development discourse in the region and the need to redefine the institutional strategic agenda of the Central American Integration System (SICA).
As conclusions, the document proposes four strategic challenges for SICA to face the 2014-2017 period: the definition of a priority agenda around the SICA action plan, the improvement of the customs union, and the reform of the institutional and legal framework together with the coordination of the Central American bloc’s external relations.