• The former minister of Development and Social Inclusion presented the strategy for implementing a territorial agenda in our country.

Paola Bustamante, former minister of Development and Social Inclusion, said that one of the obstacles to moving forward in the implementation of a territorial approach in our country is the existing divergence of opinion regarding political-administrative boundaries and the notion of territory.

She said so during her participation at Rumbo a PERUMIN, an event organized by the Peruvian Institute or Mining Engineers, which will be held from February 7 to 9, 2023 and attended by different specialists linked to the mining sector.

“Oftentimes these political-administrative boundaries are not necessarily going to mark the implementation of territorial development. I believe it will not be easy to implement or process because we are used to working based on space,” she pointed out.

The idea of territory is currently a subject of permanent study and debate not only by the social sciences, but also by different actors. It has to do with social and historical processes that are constantly changing as a result of the practices and experiences of individuals who live in the different social spaces.

To explain this dilemma, the former minister cited the case of a small gold mining operation nestled in a community of Haquira, in Cotabambas, in the region of Apurímac, which shares administrative boundaries with another district located in the region of Cusco. “If we maintain the current political-administrative boundaries, we will not be able to move forward with a territorial approach,” explained the also director of Videnza Escuela de Gestores.

Paola Bustamante also explained that we need to foster a multi-stakeholder dialogue in order to succeed in moving forward. "When talking about territorial development, we need to get everyone on board, including startups, small and medium-sized companies.”

She also noted that the success of the strategy for implementing a territorial agenda in the Peruvian regions rests on four basic points.

First, we need to build a shared vision of territory. Then we need to implement this vision stated in a consensus document, along with accompaniment and monitoring of this process. Finally, we need to systematize and analyze processes underway, which would enable constant assessment of the progress made, she explained.

Paola Bustamante remarked that territorial development should be understood as a commitment to reducing territorial inequalities, which must ensure the exercise of citizenship and the right to the development of the individual, regardless of where they were born or reside. “According to the proposed approach, equality and sustainability are the criteria and the general conditions based on which we can ensure territorial development,” she claimed.

Rumbo a PERUMIN

Rumbo a PERUMIN is an initiative of the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP) and the Executive Committee of PERUMIN 36. It involves an agenda of virtual activities that seek to create spaces for analysis, knowledge and debate on mining.