President Daniel Ortega: peace and stability are key to economic growth

By Peter Tase

On July 29^th, 2014, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid a visit to President Daniel Ortega to discuss Managua’s national policies that promote peace and sustainable development not only in his country but Nicaragua’s example serves as the best example of economic development in Central America and beyond.  Mr. Ban Ki-Moon hailed Nicaragua’s “forward-looking” energy policy he underlined: “Renewable energy is important to promoting sustainable development – this is the golden thread in achieving sustainable development in the social, economic and environmental areas,” he underlines the nation’s commitment to achieve 97 percent of its energy to originate from renewable sources by 2028.

President Ortega and the Secretary-General visited the Camilo Ortega Wind Park in Rivas, a project that represents almost one quarter of Nicaragua’s capacity to generate wind power. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions – at least 100,000 tons of CO2 each year. While visiting the premisses the leader of UN stated: “Modern energy really is the key to changing people’s lives. It can enhance the quality of life and it can be used effectively to promote human dignity. And it can also contribute to stemming violence. First of all, clinics and hospitals can be much more effective in saving lives. When the streets are lit, fully lit during the night, it can reduce violence against women. Children can study at night.”  In addition to Managua’s efforts in the area of sustainable development, curtailing poverty levels and ongoing public works and infrastructure projects of strategic importance taking place in every corner of the country, the UN leader noted that Nicaragua is an important Member State of the UN and has been playing a vital role for peace and development in several regional and global organizations. [1]

During his visit, Ban Ki-moon, acknowledged the importance of Nicaragua’s energy policy and its great potential to generate power from volcanoes, wind, water, sun and biomass.  Nearly a quarter of Nicaragua’s energy generation capacity is based on wind. It is estimated that the development of the sector will alleviate the negative greenhouse gas effects, Nicaragua understands clearly the strategic importance of producing clean energy and is only one of a handful of countries fulfilling on a timely manner the Millennium Development Goals.

According to Radio La Primerisima, on the 35^th anniversary of Nicaragua’s Airforce, last Thursday, President Daniel Ortega stated: “we have defend peace every day, we have to ensure pleace every day and is the most precious treasure that [Nicaragua] has, thank God.” President Daniel Ortega continued in his speech emphasizing “peace and stability are the foundation of Nicaragua’s economic growth. The climate of peace in the country was achieved through close work between the Army, National Police and the community that “allows us to focus on fighting poverty, illiteracy, improving access for all to public health and education”. [2]

In this occasion, General Spiro Bassi, Air Force Chief, stated that modernizing its units is a priority in order to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime. He noted that engineers, pilots and technicians are being trained in country as well as in the United States, Russian Federation, Venezuela and El Salvador. Gen. Bassi added that the Russian Federation donated $15 million dollars in equipment this year to fight drug trafficking and to carry out humanitarian and rescue operations.

Another mega project that will ensure the production of renewable energy in Nicaragua is the Hydroelectric project of China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGCC) which will build a hydroelectric plant to supply energy for the construction of the Nicaragua Canal. CGCC has a vast experience in building large dams, underground engineering, electrical installation and other modern infrastructure projects. This project will facilitate the contruction of Nicaragua’s interoceanic project and secure plenty of renewable energy production nation wide.

Sources:

http://nuevaya.com.ni/2014/daniel-preside-el-35-aniversario-de-la-fuerza-aerea/