Vinicio Cerezo Secretary General Central American Integration System (SICA) 2017President of Guatemala - 2021 (1986-1991) The Central American integration process is not an end in itself, is the strategic instrument used to achieve sustainable and equitable development of our people, to build a region of opportunities. Vinicio Cerezo INDEX The historic challenge of SICA countries 4 A new era for regional integration 8 Strategic vision 9 Strategic framework for achieving the vision 12 Strategic line 1. Strengthening the effectiveness of SG-SICA 13 Strategic line 2. Systemic institutional coordination: integrating the 13 integration process Strategic line 3. Relationships with Development Partners 14 Strategic line 4. Repositioning of SICA: living the integration process 15 Cross-cutting strategic line 5. Human rights and gender equality 16 Principles 17 2018 – 2021 Strategic plan: route map for the implementation of actions 18 inspired by the strategic vision Institutional legacy 18 The historic challenge of SICA countries Central America is a social construction that blurs borders to grow and build the common, a heritage that has always been present in the ideology of the population and the States themselves. Currently, when talking about the Central American Integration System (SICA) within the framework of the institutionality of the integration process and from its community perspective, we are facing a re-signification that goes beyond a geographical element, and for this reason the System is now integrated by Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic, who make up, according to the Tegucigalpa Protocol, an economic-political community that aspires the integration. The countries that comprise SICA are located in a region of enormous potential for world trade, in an environment characterized by a diversity of ecosystems, natural resources, and historical- cultural heritage; all of which represent a great opportunity for tourism, connectivity, multimodal logistics, the production of clean energy, a land whose wealth goes beyond its economic potential, and is also reflected in its ethnic and cultural diversity. The region has conditions to provide better opportunities for the development of the people. With a population of 58.2 million inhabitants (2017) and a GDP of approximately US$315 billions (2016), the region has been ranked in 2016 as the sixth among Latin American economies and it concentrates a huge consumer market, whose productive apparatus has been diversified and made progress in its insertion into the global economy. Within this context, the integration process promoted since the middle of the previous century has been responsible for the expansion of intraregional trade, which has reached a third of total exports, a figure fairly close to the weight of exports to the United States, the main trading partner. This notable progress has been possible thanks to the Esquipulas Agreements [es. Acuerdos de Esquipulas] which enabled the peace processes in the nineties. Esquipulas I (1986) and Esquipulas II (1987) became true milestones that contributed to making the strategic actors of the Central American region to take on the commitment of initiating the fulfillment of the peace agreements, promoting a democratic transition, and reactivating the Regional integration process. The establishment of the processes generated from Esquipulas I and II laid the foundations for peace with development and social justice, as well as greater economic cooperation and a mechanism for the peaceful resolution of armed conflicts. This scenario demanded that in 1991 the Protocol of Tegucigalpa be subscribed to the ODECA Charter to give life to the Central American Integration System (SICA), which was raised with a communitarian vision, to constitute it as a region of Peace, Freedom, Democracy and Development. Simultaneously with the institutional strengthening of Central American integration, as embodied by the creation of the SICA, the Meeting of Presidents signed the Alliance for Sustainable Development (ALIDES, for its Spanish initials) in 1994, which is a regional strategy to coordinate and reach agreements on interests, development initiatives, responsibilities, and the harmonization of rights. ALIDES set out to position sustainable development as the central strategy and policy of the States and of the region as a whole. With the pacification of Central America, the creation of SICA, the signing of ALIDES, and the establishment of the Priority Pillars of the integration process (2010), the region now possesses an institutional and legal framework with principles for the undertaking of regional actions that promote sustainable development. 4 In 2021 the majority of countries in the region commemorate the Bicentenary, and SICA also reaches 30 years of existence. These are two important milestones that match up with the mandate for which I have been appointed by the Presidents. Our historic challenge, facing the Bicentenary and three decades away of the new phase of Central American integration, consists of perfecting a system that contributes more significantly to the construction of a region of opportunities. Inequality is a major challenge in SICA countries, and it has remained so even during periods of economic growth. Although income inequality has been reduced, thanks to the fact that the countries of the region prioritized social development objectives, high levels of inequality do still persist, which hinder social development and limit the eradication of poverty and the exercise of rights. On the other hand, the formula for inclusive and sustainable growth required by the region also involves promoting an advantageous insertion into the international economy, where the development of the Customs Union [es. Unión Aduanera] continues to be a viable option for strengthening trade integration. In addition, it is important to highlight that the SICA was conceived as a multidimensional process, with a much more complex and ambitious development vision that includes elements and dimensions that promote human development in coherence with the care and protection of the planet, to guarantee a sustainable development. Currently the SICA promotes a multidimensional process that shuns the defect of economism that prevailed during the first period of the integration, and that is why it includes in its agenda social aspects, of gender, health, energy, water, tourism, migration, environment, security, climate change, rural development, education, culture, MSMEs, all these areas encompassed within the five Priority Pillars of integration. The multidimensional character represents the commitment to human development and growth in accordance with the care of the planet. SICA has been able to create a regional policy agenda around the five Pillars, demonstrating the usefulness Teguciga 87) lpa P -19 roto of the integration as a development tool for 986 co (1 l ( ds 19 or 91 our countries. Making it clear that there is c ) c A e Fundamental principles c Alliance for Sustainable G no point in increasing the GDP if it does not a Development (1994) e e of ALIDES n P 7 e r s a come with social policies that promote the a l l T u r p e i a wellbeing of the population and therefore the u t q y s Respect for life in all The improvement of o E n its manifestations human quality reduction of poverty and inequalities. Institutional strengthening E F c r o a n m o m e In order to address the region’s challenges, w i c o I r Democratic n it is necessary to promote a reflection on k security Social t e T integration Pillars 5of Central g r r e American the sustainable development that must be a Intergenerational a Respect for and use of the t responsibility with Integration i t vitality and diversity of the o y sustainable development (2010) earth in a sustainable manner launched in order to overcome the main n o ( n 1 9 socioeconomic gaps, taking into account the D 9 e 3 ) m Climate Change and areas and objectives established in ALIDES, Comprehensive o Economic Risk Management c integration r a in accordance with what is set forth in the t i The achievement of greater degrees of ) c economic integration among the countries The promotion of peace and 5 of the region and between the countries democracy as basic forms of 9 S with the rest of the world human coexistence Priority Pillars of integration, the 2030 Agenda 9 e 1 c ( u n r i o for Sustainable Development, and the SICA t i y t in ra g Prioritized Strategic Agenda. Based on this C te en Respect for multiculturalism and n t ethnic diversity in the region l I ra ia reflection, development agendas based on l A oc me S rica y on policies committed to equality, inclusion, (1995) Treat participation, sustained growth and long- In addition to complying with term environmental sustainability can be derived. 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda Goals SDGs (2015) 5 Milestones of integration Peace Accords in Central America. Esquipulas I and II Tegucigalpa Protocol Framework Treaty on Democratic Security Joint actions for democratic security 1986 1987 1991It gives rise to SICA, as a new legal-political framework for Through them, the countries fully assume all levels and areas of Central American integration. the historic challenge of forging a destiny 1995 It is based on democracy, as well as on 2011 of firm and long-lasting peace for Central Constituted by: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Regional Security Summit. Election of the first America. Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama the strengthening of its institutions and the rule of law. woman as SICA Approval of the ESCA. Organization of the Secretary General Central American States Protocol to the General Treaty of Central American Economic Integration (ODECA) Formulation of the 2014 Central American Economic Incorporation of Incorporation of the Action Plan (PAECA) Belize into SICA Dominican Republic into SICA 1951 The1993 States commit themselves to achieve Central Products of the signing of American economic unity, in a voluntary, gradual, the Charter of San Salvador.