Bolivia: an uncertain future.

Bolivia's economic indicators of the past year depict a country on its way toward economic development. In years past, those same numbers came up negative and 2005, despite the trend, seemed to be the year the country would return to growth. Nevertheless, 2006 estimates put economic growth at 3.3%, down from the previous year's growth rate of 4.1%

Omar Bello, an economist at the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, says the best way for Bolivia to get back on the path to growth would be better government policy regarding international investors. "The Bolivian economic community should try to bring in the international community, since as a country lacking human capital or its own financing it is extremely necessary to attract investment in order to avoid compromising the future," Bello says.

Bolivian President Evo Morales recently ordered EBX, a Brazilian energy and natural resources company working on the border of Bolivia and Brazil, to leave Bolivia over allegations that the company failed to comply with environmental regulations. "If a government has no judicial framework and lacks strong institutions, certain policies can strongly affect investment," Bello says.

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]