On behalf of Dr. the Honourable Keith Christopher Rowley, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Senator the Honourable Dr. Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs attended the Seventh (VII) Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic, on January 24, 2023.
CELAC is a regional bloc of 33 Latin American and Caribbean countries which aims to strengthen the political, social and cultural integration of the region through knowledge sharing, technical cooperation and capacity building activities, and collaboration to manage crises affecting the region.
The Summit, which was presided over by His Excellency Alberto Ángel Fernández, President of Argentina, saw the return of Brazil to participation in CELAC and provided an opportunity for frank discourse on the situations affecting various member countries including Brazil, Bolivia, Haiti and Peru.
A key decision of the Summit was the selection of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as the Pro Tempore Presidency (PTP) of CELAC for the year 2023. This is the first time that a CARICOM Member State will hold the PTP of CELAC.
Minister Browne underscored the commitment of Trinidad and Tobago to CELAC’s intra-regional cooperation, particularly in the areas of climate change, development financing, energy security and food security for the region.
Participation in the Summit of Heads of State and Government also presented the opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to strengthen bilateral relations with CELAC member countries.
