Imagine, Make, and Celebrate

THE MODERN NATION OF PERU WAS FORGED IN THE CRUCIBLE OF WAR TO SHED THE YOKE OF SPAIN. AND OVER THE TWO CENTURIES SINCE THE ABOLITION OF THE VICEROYALTY OF PERU, IT HAS SPUN A PROUD, YET TURBULENT HISTORY.

THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE from Spain that ran from 1811-1826 spanned 15 years. Longer, numerically by one, than the full name of its greatest architect of victory, Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte-Andrade y Blanco, better known as El Libertador, or simply Simón Bolívar. This year, the vibrant nation of around 32 million people celebrates the bicentenary of independence on July 28, 2021. Yet, celebrations in one form or another will continue through the bicentennial period until 2024, the 200th anniversary of victory in the Battle of Ayacucho.

A SHARED IDENTITY

Details of this decisive battle that cemented Peruvian independence, and indeed also heralded independence for other South American nations, may not be fresh in the public imagination. But an urgent sense of starting afresh certainly is. Not least given the seismic nature of state politics that has left deep fissures in public trust in governance. After all, fundamentally significant dates like independence have an almost talismanic quality, suggesting the opportunity for renewal, moral stocktaking, and revival of core beliefs. Small wonder then, that Peru’s Bicentennial Commemoration Agenda—concrete targets and projects aside—represents a resetting of the moral compass and a revitalized sense of being Peruvian. This requires the celebration of contributions made by all the nation’s constituent groups, notably indigenous and Afro-Peruvian peoples. Accordingly, the state has invited Peruvians to mobilize as one to “imagine, make, and celebrate” their identity as one.

BICENTENNIAL TARGETS

The targets are varied and ambitious, with the promise of yielding real-world economic advantage long after the fireworks have fallen silent. They include Peru’s entry to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Peru has already been in the World Trade Organization since 1995 and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum since 1998. In 2011, together with Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, it formed the Pacific Alliance and is also a member country of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI) and a State Member of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR). Bicentennial targets also include a 15% reduction of poverty—food security and nutrition being key objectives—and up to 60% in the informal economy, as well as zero deforestation, 5.1 million tourist arrivals in 2021, teaching English from primary education, and transforming Lima into the regional capital of cuisine.

CONCRETE CELEBRATIONS

Officially, Peru predicts a 10% rise in GDP this year as the impact of the pandemic abates, with a return to pre-COVID levels of economic activity to follow in 2022. Within the scope of bicentenary celebrations, plans are in place to bolster the economy through wide-ranging infrastructure projects up for tender. A study by EY Peru, ProInversión, and the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the promotion of investment in local infrastructure for 2020/2021 puts Peru’s infrastructure gap to 2025 at USD110 billion. And in light of the material damage suffered by the citizenry during the pandemic, efforts to narrow that infrastructure gap are squarely aimed at public benefit. The Project Pipeline for 2021-2022 has 22 projects entailing an estimated total investment of USD5.9 billion. Key among the many sectors it touches by investment are transport (three projects), water and sanitation (three projects), real estate (one project), education (five projects), and energy (six projects). Conditions have been primed for FDI across a raft of PPI model projects. It is noteworthy that the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 study ranks Peru 76th out of 190 countries by ease of doing business and opening a company and sixth in Latin America.

In September 2020, erstwhile President Martin Vizcarra told a virtual Plenary Meeting of the 75th UN General Assembly that the nation’s investment pipeline equated to 20% of GDP. The recovery plan entails subsidies, liquidity measures, and tax relief to sustain employment to the benefit of an estimated 8.5 million households and over 700,000 businesses, 90% being small and medium-sized enterprises. More recently, the Peruvian cabinet of ministers has issued an emergency decree with “extraordinary measures” to connect to 3.2 million people in isolated rural areas through satellite services, Wi-Fi points, and digital centers. This initiative will leverage digitalization to raise inclusivity levels, thereby addressing regional poverty in the way transportation can render the nation more unified.

We might conclude, therefore, that ongoing efforts toward recovery from an unforeseen pandemic coincide with a thoroughly planned bicentenary program. An initiative of state and public institutions, academia, and civil society could to give rise to a revived economy and Peruvian narrative.