Highlights from the EU-LAC Summit
This past weekend, a major summit was held in Lima, Peru between leaders of European Union countries and also Latin American and Caribbean countries. Numerous agenda items were on the table, but the overall focuses of the meetings were upon the global food crisis, climate change, poverty, and potential trade agreements. Of course, what would an international summit be without some
- good, old-fashioned name-calling to put everyone on edge before hand
- a President attending a “rival summit” and taking time to go play some football! (Soccer for Americans.)
- and an uninspiring finish where seemingly little got accomplished, but yet we can hold onto hope because there are plans to keep the conversation going.
Here are the highlights of the summit as reported by numerous press outlets, in no specific order and also with some greater emphasis on Peru’s activities:
1. According to Euronews, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez apologized for comments made earlier in the week about German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He had said that “the political right backing her was the ’same movement that supported Hitler.’” Nice icebreaker before a big summit, eh? The New York Times painted a saucy picture of the incident:
“I apologize to you,” Mr. Chávez told Ms. Merkel, after cozying up to her and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina during a break, according to news reports. “I’m doing this in front of Cristina because every time I behave badly, she’s the one who pulls my ears.”
Mrs. Merkel smiled widely after her chat with Mr. Chávez, reflecting the relief here after he had said he would be traveling to Lima with his “usual furor.”
2. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s attendance at the conference helped secure more investment in Peru from Germany, according to livinginperu.com. Approximately 400 million dollars will be invested, in such projects as making a hydroelectric powerplant that is “expected to generate near six thousand jobs during the construction period and post completion.”
3. Hugo Chávez, at it again, couldn’t help himself and took a potshot at one of his other current nemeses, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. Uribe and Colombia believe they have found proof that Chávez is helping to support FARC, a guerilla group in Colombia. According to AFP, “Uribe, before and during the summit, called on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to release hostages they are holding, including the Franco-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt.” The New York Times writes that the president of Venezuela responded to a question asked by reporters about Uribe by saying, “‘One of the great problems we have is the government of Colombia,’ Mr. Chávez said, his smile melting away.” I guess he’ll apologize to Uribe at the next world summit with a pat on the back. Just kidding.
4. Bolivian President Evo Morales attended “The People’s Summit.” This summit was billed as an alternative to the EU-LAC Summit and according to the Associated Press/International Herald Tribune held a football match where “Morales scored a goal to lead a squad of Bolivian expatriates to a 2-2 tie against members of Peru’s 1970 World Cup team. ‘Evo! Amigo! The people are with you!’ the colorful crowd shouted at the match, which ran until dusk.” Morales also accused FIFA of “soccer apartheid” for not allowing official matches at 9,000 feet above sea level (thus excluding La Paz, Bolivia’s capital).
5. Peru’s new Minister of the Environment was sworn in to office at the conference (this is a new office recently created by Peru’s government) and made a pledge to begin treating wastewater in Peru, according to livinginperu.com. Approximately 75% of Peru’s wastewater is currently dumped into the Pacific Ocean or into the country’s other bodies of water. LivinginPeru quotes the new minister, Antonio Brack, as saying, “1,000 liters of potable water in this country cost less than one beer, that is bad. That’s why we waste it.”
6. The summit did not appear to produce any substantial results beyond talk, and on the last day of the conference the New York Times claims “the heads of state culminated their meeting by drafting a document pointing to the importance of economic growth, and of combating climate change and rising food prices.” Focus Information Agency was less kind, and suggested that for global warming and the cost of food the “joint statement released at the end of the summit did not include any concrete plans for dealing with either problem.” The summit was not without its optimists. AFP writes that Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez “Zapatero took the initiative on problems in tying up an EU free trade deal with Central American and Andean countries by next year, telling the other leaders that ‘maximum priority’ should be given to resolving outstanding issues.” Here’s a link to a PDF of the Lima Declaration as created by the collaborators at the summit.
Please share any other highlights from the conference you would like to promote in the comments section. Thank you.
Related on the GO Network:
What’s at Stake at Next Week’s Bangkok Climate Summit by Angelique van Engelen
Global Warming Will Heat Up G-8 Summit by Maria Surma Marka
Photo Credit: EU-LAC Summit Official Webpage
You’d be surprised at how little news media reaches the United States from writers living in South America. This is a glowing example of cross section oftrue news from South America, revolving around the EU-LAC Summit.
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