RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Argentina received this Friday, January 7, the pro tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) during the plenary session of the twenty-second meeting of foreign ministers of this integrationist mechanism, held in Buenos Aires.
The Foreign Minister of Mexico (the country currently holding the pro tempore presidency), Marcelo Ebrard, said that the Argentine candidacy was presented in due time and form and enjoys broad consensus among the members of the organization, after which he officially handed it over to his Argentine counterpart, Santiago Cafiero, and wished him success in his term, which will run through 2022.
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In his thanks, Cafiero expressed the pride and commitment involved in the work at the head of the mechanism and stated that his country would carry it out by appealing to participation and consensus.
He explained that the area’s countries face various complexities, so Argentina’s work plan includes 15 lines of action to address these problems.
He added that, through coordinated strategies, they plan to work in climate change, health emergencies, comprehensive disaster risk management, educational exchanges, the fight against corruption, and food security.
Other lines of action will be regional connectivity in transport and communications, the sustainable development goals of the 2030 agenda, the institutional strengthening of CELAC, greater participation of women, and gender equity. No less important will be promoting dialogue with China, Russia, India, the European Union (EU), and others.
He said that all this could be promoted based on public policies to generate economic development with inclusion and social participation.
He stressed that this is an open agenda, which can incorporate new challenges and goals, be profoundly democratic, and respectful of the realities of all.
He also thanked the Latin American community for the support given to Argentina in its claim to sovereignty over the Malvinas and for seeking a negotiated solution with the United Kingdom, as established by the United Nations.