Colombia message of ‘unity and prosperity’ for Sixth Summit of the Americas
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St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Chairman of the Caribbean Community, Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas (left) greets Colombian President, His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos on arrival at to address the 32nd Caribbean Heads of Government Conference. |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 6TH 2011 (CUOPM) – Colombian President, His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos delivered a message of “unity and prosperity” when his South American nation hosts the Sixth Summit of the Americas next year.
“That is the slogan of the Summit: “Connecting the Americas: Partners for Prosperity.” This Summit is a partnership at the highest political level to find solutions to the problems the continent and islands of the Americas are facing. It is a partnership, in other words, to deliver better living conditions to the peoples of our hemisphere. And in that context, Colombia wants to give special importance and priority to the needs of the Caribbean region,” President Santos told Caribbean leaders when he addressed them at a Plenary Session of the 32nd Regular Conference of Caribbean Heads of Government in St. Kitts and Nevis under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.
President Santos noted that in agreement with Caribbean governments, the Sixth Summit of the Americas will discuss the issues that relate to the necessary reduction of poverty and inequality on the commitment.
“We have also agreed on the importance of discussing solutions to combat the insecurity that affects our citizens, and the threats posed by transnational crime to the stability of our democracies. Similarly we agreed on other priorities, such as the tragic effects of natural disasters and the urgent need to make better use of technology in education and health,” said Santos.
He is of the view that the few mandates will that will result from the deliberations which should be short, realistic, focused and measurable, with funding secured in advance, with well-defined responsible institutions and monitoring tools.
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Colombian President, His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos and his delegation at the 32nd Caribbean Heads of Government Conference. |
“Historically, for various reasons, the South and the centre of our continent have looked to the North. But today this North is facing difficulties derived from the recent financial crisis, whose consequences have affected its ability to cooperate with our regions. Therefore we believe it is time that the Caribbean also looks to the South. And the South has to look to the Caribbean,” said the Colombian leader, who hosts the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena.
He said: “The Summit will serve this purpose because there we can encourage new forms of hemispheric relations, more in line with the new political realities of economic development, trade and cooperation. To do so we invoke the principle widely accepted in the framework of the OAS, that of ‘solidarity and cooperation’, as the engine for our purposes. In that sense, it is an important forum with opportunities for agreement and understanding.”
He said Colombia has advanced permanent and extensive diplomatic consultations to socialize the themes to be discussed – themes that were chosen by a broad consensus among the countries as well the methodology of the preparatory work.
President Santos said Colombia proposes a Summit that will achieve results, that reflects the image of a continent united and determined to overcome its difficulties through partnership, solidarity and the promotion and development of a common infrastructure.