Brussels, 25th July 2023 - On 17th and 18th July, the III CELAC-EU Summit took place, bringing together leaders from 60 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe.
During the III CELAC-EU Summit, the following achievements were accomplished:
After eight years, leaders from 60 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe came together again to engage in dialogue, respecting their diversity, and seeking to deepen their political, economic, and cultural ties.
As a result of the Summit, a Declaration was adopted, reflecting common values and visions in the face of challenges related to climate change and sustainable production.
The leaders decided to hold these Summits more frequently, scheduling them every two years, and establishing a monitoring mechanism.
For the first time in the history of CELAC-EU bi-regional relations, the European Union officially recognized CELAC's position on the issue of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) in a shared document.
An update to the Roadmap 2023-2025 was also approved, outlining the path forward to further deepen relations between the two blocs.
For Argentina, it was a historic opportunity, as it not only played a significant role in the Summit as the previous pro tempore Presidency of CELAC but also had the chance to consolidate its international prestige and engage in discussions on regional and bilateral issues.
During the Summit, the President of Argentina signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Energy with the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, promoting cooperation in areas such as hydrogen, renewable energies, energy efficiency, and the recognition of LNG as a vector in the transition.
Argentina participated in the launch of the Digital Alliance between Latin America and the EU and engaged in discussions on Venezuela with Josep Borrell, the Presidents of France, Brazil, Colombia, and representatives from that country.
The Foreign Minister, Cafiero, actively participated in ministerial-level dialogues to advance the Mercosur-EU Agreement.
Regarding bilateral contacts, President Fernández had an intense agenda of bilateral meetings with Germany, Croatia, Poland, Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Portugal, Greece, and Ecuador. The Foreign Minister also met with his counterpart from the Republic of Slovakia.
Finally, the President held meetings with Members of the European Parliament to advance parliamentary dialogue between the two regions.
You can watch the summary video of the III CELAC-UE Summit at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP9Mzwy6zfg
Written by Felipe Cossio
