Desarrollo energético en América Latina y la economía mundial

Efraín Fl'iedmann / WORLD BANK LENDING FOR HYDROCARBONS: A... problem are of course the IMF and the international private bankers that recycle the petrodollars. For the longer term, however, the relentless prospect of higher oH prices and import costs can for new economic and energy policies leading to conservatíon (or mOle efficient use of energy in the process of economic development; in other words, a lowering of the historie rados o( energy jGDP growth rates) and for accelerated efforts to develop domestic, lower cost energy sources. These needs have led the World Bank to continuously expand the scope and depth of its Energy Assitance programs. In April 1976, the management of the Bank approved a tentative effort to identify oíl and gas development projects requiring Bank technical and financial assitance. Due to fears that a large program in this area could threaten other existing programs, this elfort was limited then to the poorer oi! importing countries, Le India, Pakistan, Ban– gladesh, etc. During 1976 and early 1977, the NorthjSouth Dialogue took place in París. As you know, eIEe ended in failure. The issues were venti– lated but certainly not resolved. One of the few unanimous recom– mendations agreed upon w:as that increased development assÍtance for oil exploratíon and development was desirable and a caH in this sense was addressed to the vVorld Bank in the final comunique. The World Bank followed dosely the debate in eIEC and had also 'further advanced its own internal studies of the energy situatíon of LDCS. In luIy 1977, its Board approved a management proposal made in a paper entitled "Minerals and Energy in the Developing Coun– tries". This proposal extended the original program to practicalIy all oH importíng LDCS as well as to those oi! exporters which would be in a posítion to productively employ the revenues from oil exports in furthering their economic and social development. A substantial ano– cation oí future Bank lending was for the first time earmarked for this purpose, as well as for an increased program in coal and non-fuel minerals; To make a long story short, 18 months later, this program was further expanded and a new one, described in a Memorandum to the -:'Boárd' as· HA Program to Accelerate Petroleum Production in the Developing Countries", was approved in }anuary 1979. The main com– ponents of this program are: 163