Peru

Peru enjoys stable economic growth, driven by factors such as expanding mineral resource exports accompanying the worldwide rise in mineral prices. With the exception of 2009, when Peru posted an economic growth rate of only 0.9 percent due to the effects of the global financial crisis, the country has shown economic growth between 4 and 9 percent each year since 2002. With a trade surplus, plentiful foreign currency reserves and a stable exchange rate, Peru is currently one of the most stable countries in Central and South America in macroeconomic terms.

However, there remains a large wealth disparity, and more than 30 percent of the population belongs to the poorest class, most of which live in the mountainous and Amazon regions. Under these circumstances, the government of Peru has set a course of action to extend the benefits of the economic growth to the poorest class, citing social inclusion as central in its development policy.

JICA is focused on the areas of: 1) improvement of socioeconomic infrastructures and the narrowing of disparities, 2) environmental measures, and 3) disaster prevention measures, and is assisting the government of Peru in taking measures toward sustainable development that comes with social inclusion.