LATIN AMERICA IS AT THE HEART OF FOUR OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES ON THE PLANET’: ANDRÉS ALLAMAND

Is there reason to think that Latin America has real importance in the global debate, in the current global geopolitical context? For the Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand, there is not just one reason, but at least seven.

On the third and last day of the Forum La Toja – Vínculo Atlántico, which took place until this Saturday, September 30, 2023, in Pontevedra, Spain, the theme ‘The role of Ibero-America in the new world geography’ was addressed.

In addition to Allamand, presented his views Chris Dodd, U.S. presidential advisor for the Americas, and Ramón Jáuregui, president of the Euroamerica Foundation.

Firstly, Allamand indicated that the weight of Ibero-America in the world debate is due to its magnitude, which he summarized with these figures: it has 600 million people, represents 10% of the world’s population and occupies 15% of the planet.

Beyond that, “Latin America is at a point of centrality; four of the conversations that are now flowing in the new world scenario have Ibero-America as a relevant actor”. The four topics referred to are these:

CLIMATE CHANGE

“You can’t think about the fight against climate change without Latin America.” Why? Because that is where 40% of the planet’s biodiversity, a third of the planet’s fresh water, an important percentage of the oceans and forests are found. It is perhaps the area of the world with the greatest capacity to generate clean energy.

“Therefore,” Allamand considered, “when talking about climate change, the position of this region must be considered.”

FOOD SAFETY

Food security, i.e., the planet’s current and future capacity to feed humanity, is another issue on the big discussion tables. In this regard, Allamand said that “according to the FAO, Latin America produces twice as much food as it needs for itself. In other words, it is the main food exporting region in the world, a demand that will only increase”.

MIGRATIONS

Clearly, migration issues related to Latin America have implications for regions such as the US and the European Union.

Allamand agreed with Ramón Jáuregui, who had previously indicated at the forum that there is no common migration policy between Latin America and Europe, not even with Spain. And yet, migration is a phenomenon that will not stop and that requires points of agreement, not just imposition, among all those involved.

TRANSNATIONAL CRIME

For different reasons, specific to each country, Latin America has much to say about the serious problem of organized crime, including drug trafficking networks involving Europe.

THE ARTICULATION OF THE REGION

In addition to these four crucial issues, Allamand drew attention to the fact that in a multipolar context such as the one now prevailing in the world, all regions acquire a more significant relevance. And the weight of that relevance “has to do with its ability to articulate, to act as a single voice”.

And the region has a voice in multiple global forums. They were summarized as follows: the 22 countries that make up the Ibero-American community have connections, common relations; the 19 Latin American countries of the Ibero-American community are all members of CELAC and the OAS. Two of the three members of Europe are members of the European Union. Six of them are from the OECD. Brazil and Argentina are part of the BRICS. It participates in the G20 with Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Spain. And there is the projection towards the Pacific, with the countries that are members of APEC. Therefore, it is a region that, being in different organizations, has influence.

IMPORTANCE FOR EUROPE

Latin America has become especially important for Europe. On the one hand, the Spanish presidency of the European Council has succeeded in relaunching relations between the two continents, which held a presidential summit last July after a five-year hiatus.

Allamand pointed out that the President of the European Commission herself, Ursula Von der Leyen, assured that Europe intends Latin America to be its strategic ally. All this, says the Secretary General, shows the potential that Ibero-America has to be a global ally with some world powers.

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