The former Foreign Minister and Minister of Industry of Uruguay, was elected by the 13 member countries of Aladi.
He Uruguayan Sergio Abreu was re-elected this Friday by consensus as Secretary General of the Latin American Integration Association (Aladi) for a new three-year period, after a meeting at the Montevideo headquarters.
The renewal of the driving of Abreu, 77, was agreed after bolivian withdraw the candidacy of its current Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Integration, Benjamin White, supported among other countries by Mexico. Abreu, Former Foreign Minister and Minister of Industry of Uruguay, was chosen by the 13 countries members of Aladi -the entity that seeks to establish a common Latin American market- to lead the group until 2026.
“Dr. Sergio Abreu won a second term by acclamation,” the Brazilian Foreign Minister told reporters. Mauro Vieira, at the end of the conclave held behind closed doors. Uruguayan Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillosaid that the Bolivian Blanco “was a very good candidate,” but “Abreu deserved a second term.”
Abreu highlighted among his lines of work the digital platform in favor of small and medium businesses, as well as regulatory convergence and trade facilitation and the development of infrastructure and logistics. “Trade is social inclusion, trade is employment and employment is social peace,” she told reporters. “What we are looking for is a harmonization to move forward and not each one working in isolation,” she added.
Constituted by the Treaty of Montevideo Signed in 1980, Aladi is an “umbrella entity” under which trade agreements are negotiated and registered. It’s integrated by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, and together represents 20 million square kilometers and more than 510 million inhabitants.
Abreu said that in addition to Nicaragua, which since 2011 has been in the process of becoming a member of Aladi, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic have recently expressed their interest in joining. To the XIX Meeting of the Council of Ministers On Friday, foreign ministers Vieira from Brazil, Bustillo from Uruguay and Santiago Cafiero from Argentina attended, as well as vice ministers and permanent representatives.
The final declaration supported Aladi “as the main institutional framework for integration”, stressed the importance of the digital economy, acknowledged the role of women in trade and advocated promoting “concrete actions” in sustainable development.
Source: Ambito
