MADRID, 30 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The European Union should look more towards Latin America and strengthen its relations with this region that shares interests and values with Europeans but that in recent times has not received the attention it deserves, the Secretaries of State for Ibero-America, Juan, have claimed. Fernández Trigo, and International Cooperation, Pilar Cancela.
Both have intervened, together with the High Representative for EU Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, at the opening of the seminar ‘Relaunching relations between Latin America and the European Union: strategic autonomy, advanced cooperation and digital, green and social recovery’, organized by the Carolina Foundation, the ICO Foundation and the Casa de América.
Spain is committed to “a prosperous and stable Latin America in the political, economic and social spheres”, assured Fernández Trigo, who has warned of the growing presence in the region “of third parties such as China and the United States.” “In this context, the consolidation of the EU presence has to be a priority issue on our common agendas,” he warned.
The Secretary of State has highlighted the close ties that exist, derived among other things from shared culture and history, but also shared values. “We recognize ourselves as allies who look to the future with optimism and who embrace a community of values towards the achievement of a free and peaceful world, more just and egalitarian,” he added.
“Spain wishes to continue acting as a bridge between the two regions,” asserted Fernández Trigo, who has defended the need to reactivate political dialogue at the highest level between the EU and CELAC and also to conclude the agreements with Mercosur, Chile and Mexico. .
DISINTERMISSION OF EUROPEAN PARTNERS
For his part, Cancela has indicated that in his contacts with European partners he has found a “relative disinterest”, which they themselves cannot explain, which has resulted in “a reduction in EU cooperation” for the period 2021- 27 but also in a “decreasing number of visits and contacts”.
In this sense, it has encouraged us to reflect on this issue and to seek consensus regarding cooperation with Latin America, such as those that already exist with other regions.
“It is the region closest to the EU except geographically”, he stressed, also underlining the emergence of new actors in development cooperation with the consequent “decline in the relative weight of Europe and Spain in an area so close in values, in culture or in worldviews “.
Borrell, who has intervened through a video message, has also agreed to read the situation. “We have been too absent and too far away,” he lamented, recalling that it has been more than five years, since 2015, that there has not been a summit of heads of State and Government and that before his recent visit to Brazil – which also He took him to Peru – he hadn’t been a senior representative in nine years.
Currently, he indicated, it is trying to promote a “relaunch”, which implies a “renewed look at our strategic partnership” at a time when the values that both regions share and defend “are being challenged on a global scale” and ” on the political menu there are other offers apart from our political system. “
–
