The 22 countries of the XXVIII Summit approved an environmental charter and a new financial architecture. Quito will host the Summit in 2024.
Photo of the leaders and attendees at the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).
Ecuador assumed this March 25, for the first time, the pro tempore presidency of the Ibero-American Summit. The appointment will be held in Quito on November 29, 2024.
The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, passed the baton to his Ecuadorian counterpart, Guillermo Lasso, who pointed out the “privileged opportunity” that the regional meeting in the capital of Ecuador will represent to reaffirm the Ibero-American commitment to common principles.
An environmental summit
The XXIX Ibero-American Summit will set its objectives in environmental protection, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The regional forum will give special attention to the sustainability of the oceans to insist on the protection of the marine ecosystems of Latin America.
“We also commit to immediately and responsibly dealing with the joint fight against transnational criminal structures, especially those linked to cocaine trafficking and the illicit trafficking of immigrants from an Ibero-American perspective,” Lasso said.
Ecuador is co-leading the negotiations on the situation in Haiti. For this reason, the Ecuadorian president continued, during the protempore presidency of the Summit it will be vital to have a reflection on the strategies that allow supporting an urgent solution to the humanitarian and security crisis of the Caribbean country.
Lasso reaffirmed Ecuador’s commitment to the common values and objectives that give Latin America its own character.
Agreements in Santo Domingo
The twenty-two countries participating in the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit approved on March 25 an Ibero-American environmental charter. Also, a letter of principles and rights in digital environments, a plan for food security and a new financial architecture.
This last point was the document that made it most difficult for the Ibero-American leaders to reach a consensus, something they achieved during the lunch held at the Santo Domingo National Palace after the first part of the plenary session.
The purpose of this new financial architecture is to explore new, more equitable financing options to face challenges such as poverty, hunger, the climate crisis or inequality.
A regional plan marking a path for inclusive and sustainable food security was also approved. This, in a context where hunger and the uncertainty to obtain food have worsened and affect more than 250 million Latin Americans.
This path will be traced through increased productivity and aid and programs for small family producers. They are contemplated to provide technology to favor their digitization and access to markets.
The environmental charter intends, in turn, to provide a joint response to the climate emergency in one of the regions of the world where the effects of global warming are most felt. Droughts, melting glaciers, fires, and floods, among other natural disasters, are caused by global warming.
With the letter on environmental principles and rights, Ibero-American leaders seek to anticipate a scenario of acceleration of the digital transition. It is expected to provide a regulatory framework for a changing world that involves specific legislation to protect the freedoms and rights of citizens.
