The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, currently President pro tempore of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), expressed, on Wednesday 3 May “their will to breathe new life” into the partnership between the two regions on the basis of shared values, according to a press release from the Commission.
The two leaders believe that the EU/CELAC summit, to be held in July in Brussels, will be an “important political milestone in relations between the two regions and a crucial forum to discuss how to take the partnership forward”, says the Commission. This will be the first summit in 7 years.
Ms von der Leyen and Mr Gonsalves agreed that the Global Gateway would be part of the focus of the enhanced partnership, with a forthcoming investment programme for the Latin America-Caribbean region. Work is underway to present this investment agenda in time for the summit.
The statement said that the President and the Prime Minister agreed to join forces to tackle common challenges and promote social and climate justice, fair trade and a green and digital transition that benefits all.
They also stressed the importance of strengthening bi-regional ties against a changing and uncertain geopolitical backdrop. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)