At a two-day seminar held in San Salvador on 6 and 7 May and organized jointly by the IPU and the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, parliamentarians from the region took a critical look at the challenges that remained more than twenty years after the signing of the historic Esquipulas II Accord that brought democratic governance and stability to Central America. The seminar came on the heels of a unique national roundtable with high-profile Salvadorean personalities who had been involved in the nation’s peace negotiations.
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Seminar participants in the noted that even though the absence of armed conflict and the organization of regular free and fair elections had transformed society to a large extent, many of the underlying causes of conflict still persisted, and in several cases, were becoming more pronounced, as evidenced by rising poverty rates and the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. In addition, the expansion of organized crime and the proliferation of gangs had once again put security and effective administration of justice high on the regional agenda.
The new era of State institutions brought about by the peace accords, albeit a step in the right direction, had not been sufficiently sustainable or far-reaching to address these challenges effectively. Parliaments should step up to the plate, first of all, by drawing up a sound social and economic agenda and by strengthening the independence and effectiveness of the judiciary, with some participants suggesting that the agenda should originate at the regional level, drawing inspiration from the European Union, and lead to an Esquipulas III or a “social Esquipulas”.
Such an ambitious programme would require parliaments to capitalize on what they should do best, namely to offer a genuine and effective platform for dialogue and action in a context of respect and trust, with the full participation of all sectors of society, including new generations of political leaders, civil society organizations and the economic sector. Political parties also need to be part of the equation: they should avoid the paralysis of polarization by working in the interest of the common good, promote a culture of integrity, act responsibly when preparing their candidates for political office, and “democratize” themselves from within through a process of political reform. Conclusions and recommendations of the regional seminar are available on the IPU website.
