The European Commission on Monday announced an investment of €45 billion in Latin America and the Caribbean, in 135 projects such as telecommunications expansion and Amazon reforestation, strengthening cooperation between regional blocs.
“We have decided to intensify our cooperation. Today I am pleased to launch our investment agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean […] and we propose to bring more than €45 billion of high-quality European investment to Latin America and the Caribbean,” announced Executive Community President Ursula von der Leyen.
Speaking at the start of the business forum between the European Union (EU) and the Latin America and Caribbean region, on the day when more than 50 leaders from both blocs meet in Brussels, the official should already be “in preparation” than 135 projects, from clean hydrogen to critical raw materials, from expanding the high-performance data cable network to producing the most advanced messenger RNA vaccines.”
Examples of projects include working with the Brazilian government and the EU private sector to expand telecommunication networks in the Amazon, as well as contributions to an Amazon support fund and to the “Brazilian Rainforests” reforestation initiative.
“Only together will we be able to agree on which sectors and value chains to prioritize and how best to drive these investments through skills, standards and technical support. So let’s take advantage of this summit to advance the investment agenda for the advantage of our two continents,” insisted Ursula von der Leyen.
Hours before and after a meeting with Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Ursula von der Leyen had already announced that the EU would “invest heavily” in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
“The EU is going to invest heavily in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean,” announced the President of the Commission after a meeting with the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, on the sidelines of the European Union summit with the countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
Not realizing the investment that will be made, von der Leyen said the 27 also want to “diversify supply chains” and “reduce inequality”.
But the main point is the agreement with Mercosur: “We finally want to reach our goal!”
“It is our ambition to resolve any disagreements as quickly as possible so that we close this agreement and we want to be a partner who has an agreement with you where both parties win,” he added.
Following this short statement and a statement from Lula da Silva, the President of the Commission and the Brazilian Head of State moved to an EU-Latin America and Caribbean Business Forum.
Today and Tuesday, the Belgian capital Brussels will host the first EU summit in eight years with the countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which will be attended by more than 50 leaders, including Lula da Silva and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa.
This third EU summit with CELAC will focus on strengthening the partnership between the two regions to prepare them for new challenges, such as the consequences of Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine from the Russian invasion, ecological transitions and digital and the resumption of the rules-based international order.
News updated at 10:01
Source: DN
