Assembly resolutions 42/1and43/210; Economic andSocial Council resolution 2090(LXIII); andEconomic Commission forLatinAmerica andtheCaribbean resolutions 30(IV),386(XVIII), 401(XVIII), 404(XVIII), 422(XIX), 440(XIX), 469(XX),470(XX),477(XXI)and486(XXI). 33.85 During the1980sthecountries ofthesUbregion haveundergone acr~s~s which, although ithastakenondifferent characteristics inMexico thaninthe relatively smaller economies ofCentral America andPanama, hasbeenofalength andseverity unmatched byanyotherinthepast50years. 33.86 InmostoftheCentral American countries, production declined and percapita incomefelltothelevels recorded morethanadecadeearlier. Both public andprivate investments decreased sharply justwhenthey wer~essential for therestructuring oftheproductive apparatus. Thepossibility ofusingexternal savings tofinance growth wasexhausted andthedebtbecame oneofthegreatest obstacles totheeconomic progress ofthesubregion. Sharpfiscal imbalances -23- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Libraryreduced themanoeuvring roomoftheGovernments, andtheirability toprovide economic andsocialservices declined accordingly. 33.87 Mexico, whoseeconomy wasbattered bythedebtcrisisthaterupted in1982 andbythesubsequent dropinoilprices (whichhaveremained low),hasbeen plagued withstructural lagsthatcontinue todemandtheattention ofthe Government. However, theGovernment isnowmeeting withsuccess initsattempts to reverse thenegative trendsininflation, thepUblicdeficit, non-petroleum exports andtheexternal debtservice whichhavebeenaffecting theeconomy. 33.88InsomeCentral American countries, social andpolitical tensions arosethat ledtoarmedconfrontations. Theserious economic andsocial consequences ofthose conflicts resulted inthedisplacement ofaconsiderable segment ofthepopulation andsparked theflightofbothskilled humanresources andcapital fromthe subregion. Thenumberofpoorpeopleincreased, income becamefurther concentrated, andthecountries fellfarther behindintermsofsocialwell-being, technology andproductivity. 33.89 Thesituations described above,whichhavediffered asafunction ofthe specific circumstances ineachofthecountries, callfornewdevelopment paths thatwillallowthecountries tomeetthechallenges presented bythecrisis andto adapttonewtrendsintheworldeconomy. Thegoalistoachieve sustained and equitable growth basedonatransformation ofthecountries' production structures thatwillpermit themtodrawupontheirthreesources ofeconomic dynamism: the changing international economy, amorefullyarticulated domestic market, and subregional andregional integration. 33.90 Theobjectives ofthesubprogramme are: (a)Tosupport thecountries withintheareaserved bytheECLACSubregional OfficeinMexicointheformulation ofpolicies andprogrammes designed tocreate macro-economic conditions thatwillbeconducive toeconomic andsocial development byincreasing capital formation andpromoting therecovery ofproduction capacity andtopermitthesecountries toachieve along-term structural adjustment without adversely affecting socialconditions; (b)Toprovide systematic annualanalyses oftheoverall economic trendsand thepolicies ofthecountries inthesubregion onthebasisofaconsistent statistical andanalytical framework; (c)Tosupplyperiodic analyses oftheCentral American integration process andtopropose possible meansofovercoming theconstraints thatholdbackits intensification; (d)Tofurnish assistance inthedesignofsocial development plansand policies tailored totheindividual countries' characteristics, whichwillhelpto improve thequality oflifeofthepopulation bymeansof,interalia,anincrease inthevolumeofproduction andtheproductivity ofthepoor,especially inrural areas;theintegration ofwomenintothedevelopment process; andgreater participation bythepopulation intheformulation ofsocial andeconomic development plans; -24- Digitized by Dag Hammarskjöld Library(e)Toassist Member States ofthesubregion toformulate economic andsocial
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the economic situation in the Latin American and Caribbean region, specifically the challenges faced by the countries in the region, and the goals and objectives of a subprogramme aimed at promoting economic and social development in the region. The text mentions economic indicators such as inflation, public deficit, and external debt service, as well as social issues such as poverty, income concentration, and social tensions.

**Category**
Economic development, Employment