Muchas gracias.
It is my pleasure to be in El Salvador this afternoon, if only briefly. El Salvador is a terrific success story.
Despite the devastating human hardship and economic losses suffered during the long years of civil war, and the destruction from the massive earthquakes in 2001, this country has made substantial and far-ranging progress in economic and social development and in strengthening public institutions, and in consolidating democracy.
El Salvador’s strong record of economic reforms and investments in education, health, and other basic services has resulted in many of the social and economic gains. Indeed, in less than 20 years, El Salvador has gone from a country torn apart by brutal war to a country that stands out in Latin America for its successful reforms and which today enjoys an investment grade rating status.
El Salvador has pioneered innovative approaches in a number of key areas, such as land administration and the successful EDUCO community-based education program. These are considered global best practices, ideas that can provide examples for other developing countries throughout Latin America, and, indeed, elsewhere in the world.
One of the things we are proud to do at the World Bank is to help countries learn from the success stories of others and El Salvador has provided examples of that kind. Other countries and El Salvador have learned from success stories like Oportunidades in Mexico or Bolsa Familia in Brazil.
Poverty has declined impressively - more than 27 percentage points between 1991 and 2002 - and extreme poverty was cut in half during the same period. Impressive progress has also been made in social areas, including education enrollment, infant and maternal mortality, and access to safe water.
And if you will permit me, Mr. President, I am not trying to advertise a particular newspaper, but I was so pleased to see in this one issue of a newspaper this week two great developments that Congress has approved: a law on ethics and government, which is a great accomplishment for both you and the Congress, and also exports in this country have grown more than 10 percent over the last year as a result of DR-CAFTA in just the first four months of 2006. Those are both great achievements. In fact, I think they are reinforcing achievements, meaning they have something to do with one another. And that is the kind of success that the developing world needs to have, particularly in Latin America. So, thank you for not only what you are doing for your people, which is your first priority, but also for what you are doing for the whole world.
Some significant part of the credit, I think, for those achievements goes to the leadership of Dr. Juan José Daboub, who served previously as the Minister of Finance and Secretary to the Presidency. Today, I am particularly delighted to be able to be here in El Salvador to thank you for giving us at the World Bank Group the opportunity to bring Juan José to join us as a Managing Director.
Dr. Daboub was selected for this position after a very competitive world-wide search. He emerged as the best among a list of very strong candidates. His appointment is a recognition of demonstrated skills in managing complex organizations, and his track record in bringing about sustained results in both the public and private sector here in El Salvador.
Also, his selection reflects my commitment to strengthen and enrich the Bank's senior management by bringing in talented and seasoned managers from developing countries.
I hope also that Dr. Daboub's knowledge of World Bank operations, from having been a partner of ours in his government position, will strengthen our understanding of how the Bank can be useful in helping people who occupy positions like the one he used to hold.
We know that successful investment grade countries such as El Salvador have other sources of finance, and for us to be more useful, we need to be faster and more flexible in adapting our assistance to meet the needs of increasingly sophisticated economies.
The President mentioned that we have opened an office here in El Salvador, and indeed we are very pleased to be a partner with El Salvador, and to continue to support and accelerate broad-based growth, improve equity and enhance security. With providing financial support in a number of key areas, particularly in health, education, land administration, judicial reform, and social protection.__I am sure that Dr. Daboub’s appointment as Managing Director will bring us even closer. I look forward very much to working with him. I also look forward very much to working with you, Mr. President, and with your colleagues, to learn more about your successful development strategy, and what we can do to help you reinforce it and what the rest of the developing world can do as well.
Thank you for the opportunity for me to be here today