By Elishya Perera
BRUSSELS, Belgium (CWBN)_The Ministers of Foreign affairs of the members of the European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) held an informal ministerial meeting yesterday (Dec 14).
The virtual meeting was hosted by the Foreign Minister of Germany, Heiko Maas, and chaired by Josep Borrell Fontelles, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission.
During the meeting, the ministers affirmed their commitment to bolster high-level bi-regional political dialogue, reflecting on the countries’ common interests and shared values including democracy, rule of law, human rights and sustainable development.
The ministers further reaffirmed their determination to step up joint efforts to overcome various challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, including social, economic and financial exclusion.
According to a statement published on the official website of the EU, the ministers also discussed the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines during the meeting, stressing that vaccines should be considered a public good and should be provided through a multilateral approach, “because no one is safe until everyone is safe.”
The Ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen global health security, especially in response to health emergencies. They applauded the efforts initiated by governments and regional blocs in tackling health and economic effects of the pandemic, as well as the efforts of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Another key issue discussed during the meeting was the growing levels of debt faced by emerging and developing countries owing to the economic impact of the pandemic. Accordingly, the ministers agreed to further work on “sustainable and inclusive debt and investment approaches” such as debt swaps.
In terms of climate action, the ministers welcomed the European Commission’s adoption of a waste management programme for the Caribbean, under the regional programme. The ministers recognised the importance of combining energy security for the transition towards energy sources in both regions. They also welcomed the participation of a number of LAC countries in the UN Partnership on Action for a Green Economy (PAGE).
According to the statement, digitalisation, research, innovation, trade and sustainable development were also among the subjects discussed during the informal meeting.
