Abstract:
Recent research indicates that complexity, diversity and regular change are the elements that constitute structure within the international system. International institutions established to respond to such challenges are structurally stable; consequently, they are unable to adjust easily to their ever-changing environment. Understanding the environmental–institutional relationship is essential, while conceptualising this relationship from a resilience perspective has utility. A review of the resilience literature supports construction of a national resilience framework, which is used to test our hypothesis that regional alignments contribute to member (national) resilience through an adaptation strategy and an adaptability or transformation strategy.

The Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) provides data to test this hypothesis, as it is not a regional association but rather an alignment (it is not legally incorporated, and has no central budget or secretariat). The Pacific Alliance operates with a collaborative-hierarchical structure and a collaborative-networked system focused on a simple long-term vision at the institutional level, continual planning at the regional level and incremental implementation of innovation at the national level. We conclude that a regional alignment can contribute to resilience through an adaptation strategy, but not an adaptability strategy. Based on case data, we empirically construct a set of principles for building international institutions that support national resilience, and argue that the Pacific Alliance presents an example of an institution that has both stability and agility. We recommend that other developing nations experiment with this low-cost, self-help institutional strategy.

Resumen: No disponible
Author: Larry Crump
Full document: 2018, Crump, National Resilience through a Regional Alignment- The Case of the Pacific Alliance

Early this month the Colombia Constitutional Court declared the law approved last year by which the Pacific Alliance members created a Cooperation Fund unconstitutional.

The Cooperation Fund is the mechanism designed to finance and put in operation all the core cooperation initiates within the Pacific Alliance including: social development, innovation, climate change and environmental action, and SMEs. The Fund is made up from the yearly financial contributions of the members and other contributions by third parties.

The decision was adopted because the Law 1749/2015 did not comply with all the formal procedures required by the Colombian Constitution for its approval by the Congress when it was issued last year.

This means that Colombia will need to start a new process for incorporation of the agreement for a cooperation fund with further delays for the fund to enter into operation which is not foreseen for early 2017.

It is not the first time a situation like this has taken place. If we remember back, the Colombian Constitutional Court declared the law approving the Framework Agreement of the Pacific Alliance unconstitutional for procedural reasons in 2014.

In the meantime, the Corporation Fund Agreement that was signed in May 2013 is in its final stages of incorporation by the other member states. Peru issued the formal Supreme Decree (N° 073-2015-RE) incorporating the Cooperation Fund Agreement in late 2015, after the congress approval of the agreement.  Procedures are also now finished in the Chilean Congress.

sources: www.corteconstitutional.gov.co
www.elperuano.com.pe
www.leychile.cl

Photocredits: Jan Pietruszka/FreeDigitalPhotos.net