Migrations and Economic Integration in Latin America: The Andean Group

Abstract

International division of labor has been discussed by fora of various international organizations. The Tenth Conference of the American States Members of the International Labour Organization (ILO, Mexico, 1974) adopted two resolutions. According to these, the principal causes of migration is the unfair distribution of income and the prevail? ing division of labour. A solution to this situation requires concerted international action to ensure a balanced development among nations. It was also noted that the integration process become an effective reality unless special attention is devoted to the social and labour problems involved. The report from the OECD and International Migrations (published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1975) calls for a new international cooperation and development strategy as well as a new type of relationships between countries of immigration and emigration. The findings of the report, although based on European experience, suggest that they will provide valuable lessons for countries in other parts of the world. From the point of view of Latin America, I should tend to agree with several conclusions of this report: 1) that the new strategy of development should ultimately aim to establish a social and manpower policy at the international level while undertaking a deployment of productive activities; 2) that the restriction of migration does not serve as any long-term solution to the present situation; 3) that the solution equally cannot rest in capital and technological transfer, since the intrinsic logic of investments does not necessarily coincide with the creation of employment in the countries of emigration (Organi-