World Bank: Venezuela decreased poverty

World Bank: Venezuela decreased poverty

Click here to go to source By: Jainelly Fernández Urdaneta/Panorama
Digital

“Venezuela has achieved substantial improvements in the fight against
poverty. The statistical evidence that we have compiled shows that from
1995 to 2005 the number of homes under the poverty line has decreased,”
stated the World Bank.

The organization said that in these years the number of homes in
poverty
decreased from more than 40% to 30%

It described this advance as important and stated that it is related to
Venezuelans’ higher income levels and as a result of the social
missions.

The Bank explained that there is still a long way to go because “the
objective is to not have anyone [living] below the poverty line and
Venezuela is a petroleum country that is going through a time of high
international oil prices and because of this should apply all these
resources to poverty elimination.”

These statements were made during consultations which took place
yesterday.…[These consultations], which will be jointly developed with
the Planning Ministry, will be a step towards the design of a new
cooperation strategy between the Bank and the country.

“The goal, in addition to conducting an analysis of the different
priorities in the region, is to learn the opinions of representatives
from different sectors in Zulia concerning the role of the institution
in the nation and concerning the different options for cooperation,”
[David] Varela, [the resident World Bank Representative in Venezuela]
said.

Varela has identified four important lines of work in Venezuela—all in
accord with the millennium challenge–: water and plumbing,
environmental
management (solid waste management), [and] social infrastructure in
medium size cities with more than 100,000 residents and in indigenous
villages.

During the question and answer session, the inability of different
local
premises to qualify to obtain help from multinational organization in
project development was mentioned.

One of the examples of a projected which was not successful in passing
the final face to receive World Bank Aid that was mentioned was [a
project concerning] the quality of air in an urban space, a proposal
which had been presented by Maracaibo’s mayor’s office.

Among the commentaries, one criticized that there was no team prepared
to explain technical information on the different problems that could
be
encountered [when a group is] being backed by international financial
institutions, [a situation which creates] and important dependency.

The attendees confirmed that more or less the same thing happened [when
groups were working] to obtain financing from the Intergovernmental
fund
for Decentralization (Fides) and the Law of Special Assignments. In
this
sense, the representatives of the different Zulian sectors expressed
their concern about the little preparation that there was on the topic,
which also is necessary and indispensable for the communal counsels to
obtain endorsements for many of their programs.

[Valera] said that the [World Bank’s view] for this year and next is
that the nation keeps within a program of very modest borrowing, given
that the need for external financing is very small.

“Even though we don’t have any prepared figures, if we have a small
borrowing program complemented with non financial study services,
technical assistance and donations, that will enrich our contribution
to
the country,” said the World Bank representative.

INFO

Cecilia Guerra, the General Director of Multilateral Finance of the
Ministry of Planning, said that government representatives met with the
authorities of the World Bank to define the area of action. Different
projects are being worked on with the IADB and the Andean Development
Corporation.

Translated by Venezuelanalysis.com Staff

Originally Published Wednesday, May 31, 2006 by Panorama Digital
.