By Gustavo A Maranges on October 27, 2022
photo: Cuba Minrex
The XXIII Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the III Meeting between the regional bloc and Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union (EU) took place this week in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Both events had very similar agendas, highlighting issues such as environmental protection, joint actions to overcome the crisis generated by the pandemic, and the need to comply with the principle of the United Nations Charter on the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Climate change was one of the central topics of this meeting since, according to UN reports, the region has been the most affected by this phenomenon. The existence of globally valuable ecosystems such as the Amazon rainforest, Antarctic glaciers, and many island nations makes the issue a priority. Given this scenario, the participants agreed to strengthen the CELAC Natural Disaster Response Fund, which is still fueled by voluntary contributions.
The devastation caused by hurricanes in Central America and the Caribbean, intense droughts in some regions of South America, repeated forest fires, and pouring rains have shown that the region must be better prepared to deal with these phenomena. Strengthening this fund and its efficient use could mark a turning point for many countries which do not have the necessary resources or the preparation to face the challenges posed by the acceleration of climate change by alone is impossible. The bloc also welcomed a binding treaty draft to curb plastic pollution, especially in the marine ecosystem.
The participants also spoke in favor of greater institutionalization of the bloc. As a first step, they decided to hold a meeting of Ministers of Economy and Finance to establish common ways to overcome the economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. These technical and strategic meetings used to be regular before right-wing governments took power in the region.
The meeting also addressed core issues, such as regional energy and food security, health self-sufficiency, and the pandemic. The pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine have shown how unprepared the region is to deal with the current global situation. Being the most unequal region on the planet is an aggravating fact, especially when it comes to governments committed to guaranteeing health, food, and energy at affordable prices.
In Latin America, this should not be a problem since there is plenty of food, fuel, and energy producers and countries like Cuba with great medical potential. However, the lack of regional cooperation on these issues and the orientation of the region’s economies towards other markets prevent them from taking advantage of this potential. Once again, crises demonstrate that integration and cooperation are the only way for the third world to confront the current unjust economic order.
Strengthening South-South and triangular cooperation was also agreed upon in the final declaration of this XXIII meeting. History shows the results could be very positive and regional living standards will improve if we take this path, as it was the case of cooperation between Venezuela or Brazil-Cuba-Haiti.
The current situation of the Caribbean country was another point of consensus. Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez stressed the need to contribute to the stability of Haiti and increase aid in all sectors while respecting the sovereignty of the Haitian people. The Cuban Foreign Minister also thanked all those present for condemning the U.S. blockade against the island and demanding his country’s exclusion from the List of Sponsors of Terrorism. At the same time, he was thanked by Colombian Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva for the island’s contribution to peace in Colombia.
The dialogue with the European Union
Bruno Rodriguez and many of the participants thanked Argentina for its efforts in reactivating the dialogue with the EU, which took place the day after the CELAC member states met.
The meeting between the Foreign Ministers of both blocs had been planned since mid-2022 after Spanish President Pedro Sanchez visited the region. This third meeting takes place 7 years after the second one, where Lima Group members boycotted the Summit of Heads of State by opposing President Nicolás Maduro’s participation.
This time, CELAC-UE reached a consensus and everything points to the II Summit of Heads of State CELAC-EU to be held in Brussels in the second half of 2023. The changes in government in the last two years have had a favorable impact on the region, which today is more cohesive than it was 7 years ago.
The European context is not the most favorable at the moment, and Latin America is a market rich in food, energy, and minerals. These are strategic assets to solve the current crisis in the old continent. Many analysts feel this is the main reason why Europe has sat down to dialogue, something that was even more evident in the speech of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell.
In this scenario, and given the failure of the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, resuming negotiations with Europe could prove to be valuable for Latin America. However, this rapprochement should not follow Europe’s traditional stance that has only fostered underdevelopment in the region.
Many attendants agreed on this point and expressed that, despite the history they were open to cooperation, as it is necessary to increase technology transfer and make special provisions to cancel the foreign debt, which has been paid countless times by the Latin America people.
For his part, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez emphasized that the relationship with the EU must be based on respect for the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples. He also made an explicit reference to the fact that Europe should avoid meddling in regional electoral affairs, especially at this moment when Brazil and Argentina are deciding their futures at the polls.
Similarly, both Europeans and Latin Americans agreed on the need to resume the stalled negotiations. Advancing in these processes in the current context can be very useful for our region given the mutual interest and greater political consensus.
The results of both summits have been favorable and show how different the processes are when leftist and progressive governments are in power. What could have been accountability to the imperialist powers turned into an honest dialogue among equals.
Meanwhile, within the bloc, tangible advances initiated under Mexico’s presidency are visible and have been continued by the Fernandez government. For instance, CELAC has resumed its work in international organizations and has fostered regional dialogue, leading to better bilateral relations among its members.
There is a long way to go but the trajectory of the meetings left no doubt that regional integration is the only possible path for our peoples.
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – US