EU and Latin American & Caribbean Nations Establish EU-LAC Digital Alliance for Enhanced Cooperation

The European Union (EU) and Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay have agreed to deepen their partnership by establishing an EU–LAC Digital Alliance.  The alliance will provide a forum for regular bi-regional dialogue and cooperation on digital matters for the benefit of the citizens, and will create a strategic framework to foster future cooperation, as well as for the substantial EU-LAC digital cooperation that is already ongoing.  The EU-LAC Digital Alliance promotes cooperation on a wide range of digital issues, including digital policy dialogue, internet governance, data governance, infrastructure, connectivity, security, data protection, artificial intelligence and other new emerging digital technologies, skills development, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, digital trade, and space-related activities.  The digital alliance was agreed upon this week when the Heads of State or Government of the European Union (EU) and of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission met in Brussels, Belgium for the third EU-CELAC Summit.  As part of the group’s declaration, an affirmation was given to reinforce dialogue and foster extensive people-to-people contacts; to work together as sovereign partners, which will make them stronger and better placed to face the multiple crises and challenges of our times including food insecurity, poverty, inequalities in both regions, supply chain disruptions, and rising inflation. The group also declared to cooperate to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation, according to the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.