EU Expresses Willingness for Dialogue

The Joint Statement issued at the close of the first day of the Summit between the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union reveals the interest of both blocs in prioritizing dialogue.

In statements to the press following the release of the 52-point document, the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, stated that its primary message is that “we insist, we persist, we deepen the principle of multilateralism, which means that diverse nations come together to solve common problems.”

The President indicated that the summit was not dominated by the desire of one nation to dominate, subordinate, or impose upon another, but rather by the intention to build common solutions.

“There is no way to solve fundamental problems that threaten our very existence without starting from the commitment of humanity and all its state representations,” he affirmed.

He further commented that no single state can solve today's challenges on its own.

“No country alone can solve the problem of the climate crisis, poverty, or issues associated with the digital economy. The way forward is not for a single country to arrogate unto itself the right to solve them, but for us to do it together. What we have demonstrated to the world today, amidst advancing barbarism and genocide, is that we can speak of democracy and common agreements,” he asserted.

For his part, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, noted that the summit, even in moments of uncertainty, sends a clear message to the world: that Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean maintain “a commitment to dialogue over division, cooperation over confrontation, partnership over isolation.”

He highlighted that the meeting agreed to reinforce cooperation on various issues, such as health, security, and the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking, through judicial and police cooperation and within the framework of international legality.

The official revealed that two additional declarations, separate from the general scope, were approved.

First, he detailed, a partnership for citizen security that will strengthen cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean in matters of security and the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking.

The second is a pact on care, which seeks to facilitate the exchange of advances and best practices in the care economy.

According to Michel, the objectives of consolidating the bi-regional relationship were met, ensuring that the economic progress of the peoples of both blocs “goes hand in hand with development, social justice, and human rights.”

A meeting between members of the European Union delegation and Caribbean countries is scheduled for tomorrow as part of the ongoing Summit activities.