Lima, Oct. 30, 2004 Andean Community Secretary General Allan Wagner Tizón maintained that one of the Andean countries’ most important tasks is to build a new state "capable of furthering equitable growth and ensuring social cohesion and democratic governance."

Wagner spoke yesterday at the Andean Seminar, "Democracy, State, and Decentralization," being held in Quito to study the UNDP Report “Democracy in Latin America: towards a citizens’ democracy” and to identify the basic elements for an Andean subregional agenda to strengthen democracy.

In reflecting on why democracy in our countries continues to be unstable, he pointed to, as possible causes for this situation, the complex nature of democratic transitions, the crisis in the state’s legitimacy, the continued existence of poverty, and the worsening of exclusion and inequality, together with the absence of a culture of legality.

He went on to stress that one possibility for breaking through the “vicious circle” of poverty and lack of citizenship would be to undertake a state reform involving its decentralization, among other essential elements, for “decentralization is an instrument that helps to expand the radius of political and territorial action of the state itself, bringing it closer to society and the citizens.”

"Decentralization is a contribution toward the building of a democratic state in our region,” Wagner emphasized.

He pointed out, in this connection, that the Andean Community has created the Andean Advisory Council of Municipal Authorities to reinforce the integration process and decentralized development.

Furthermore, community efforts to develop the cities-region and the integration of border regions are advancing integration at the subnational level, with an outlook toward competitiveness, decentralization, and social inclusion, he stated.

The CAN has also approved the Integrated Social Development Plan in order to, from the vantage point of integration, step up active policies and national programs to overcome poverty, exclusion, and inequality, within the framework of the United Nations’ Millennium Targets.

Wagner concluded by stressing the importance of shaping a new Latin American consensus in favor of democracy and development that would, while keeping positive elements of the so-called Washington Consensus like fiscal responsibility and the maintenance of macroeconomic balances, lead the state’s action away from the “macro” toward the “meso” by incorporating active policies with a territorial development and social cohesion approach.