The EU and Latin America

Prime Minister François Fillon attended the fifth EU-Latin American and Caribbean summit in Lima on Friday, May 16. He was accompanied by European Affairs Secretary Jean-Pierre Jouyet and Brice Lalonde, ambassador for action against climate change. The talks focused on two themes:

  the fight against poverty, inequality and exclusion

  and sustainable development, climate change and energy.

During bilateral meetings the prime minister discussed the fate of Ingrid Betancourt and the other hostages held by the FARC. He also advocated an enhanced partnership with Latin America and the Caribbean in the fight against climate change and food security.

At the close of the summit, two regular dialogues were instituted: one on climate change, the other on migration. A European French-inspired program called EUrocLIMA has also been launched. This 5-million-dollar initiative will finance research and the transfer of experience in the fight against climate change to Latin American countries. The heads of state and government of both continents also welcomed a conference on food security in Haiti which will be held in July by the Spanish authorities and co-chaired by Argentina and France.

At the meeting of foreign ministers held the day before the summit, Mr. Jouyet pleaded for increased cooperation on drug trafficking between the EU and Latin America and emphasized the importance of regional integration for the stability and growth of Latin American and the Caribbean.