Santiago (Chile), 12/4/2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Yesterday the executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, José Antônio Ocampo, had a meeting with president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and they agreed that Cepal will expand its activities in Brazil, specifically by joining the Applied Economic Research Institute (Ipea) in joint endeavors. Deputy and senator-elect, Aloizio Mercandante (PT-SP), who is in Chile with the Brazilian delegation, said that Cepal could provide important assistance in social assistance projects.

Ocampo declared that the Lula administration can work with Cepal in laying the groundwork for its programs in the areas of macroeconomics and regional development, among others. (AB)