Special Latin American Council to elect new Permanent Secretary of SELA

Caracas, 28 March 2008.- The Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) will hold its XI Special Meeting of the Latin American Council on 31 March and 01 April to analyze various administrative and institutional matters concerning the organization.

During the meeting, the Latin American Council – the supreme organ of SELA – will elect the new Permanent Secretary of this regional organization for the period 2008-2012, succeeding Venezuelan Ambassador Floria Caricote Lovera.

To date, the only officially nominated candidate is the Mexican economist José Rivera Banuet, who has a broad experience working with international and regional organizations.

According to a Note forwarded by the Embassy of Mexico, “this nomination is based on Mexico’s interest to contribute, along with other Latin American and Caribbean countries, to the efforts aimed at achieving greater regional integration and strengthening the processes underway for the benefit of the whole region”.

Economist José Rivera Banuet was elected in 2005 as Undersecretary-General of the Latin-American Integration Association (ALADI). Previously, he held very relevant positions in SELA, UNCTAD and the UNDP.

Rivera Banuet worked as Director of the Program on Globalization, Liberalization and Sustainable Human Development (UNDP-UNCTAD). Previously, he held the position of Inter-Regional Advisor at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Among other relevant positions, he has worked as Senior Economist of the Organization of American States (OAS) and as an Economic Counsellor of the Mexican Diplomatic Mission to the International Organizations of the United Nations headquartered in Geneva.

SELA is a regional intergovernmental organization for consultation and coordination that groups together 26 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

It was established in 1975 upon an initiative of Venezuela and Mexico, with the purpose of adopting common positions and strategies among its Member States and promoting cooperation as well as social and economic development in the region. Its regulations and objectives were established in the Panama Convention.
 

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