Country Profile

Once known as a country scarred by economic and social upheaval, Peru has now experienced nearly two decades of economic growth alongside the continued establishment of democratic principles – increasingly so since the turn of the millennium. Buoyed by high commodity prices, the mineral-rich country grew at an average annual rate of 6.2% in the decade to 2014, cementing its status as one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. Rapid growth also enabled Peru to make significant strides in improving social indicators, particularly in reducing poverty rates. However, the end of the commodity cycle saw GDP growth slow to a decade-low of 2.4% in 2014, as global commodity prices fell and Chinese demand for Peruvian minerals eased, sending Peru into uncertain uncharted waters.

This chapter contains interviews with President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Godard; Ricardo Luna Mendoza, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Steven Ciobo, MP and Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Australia; Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina; and Walker San Miguel, Secretary-General, Andean Community.