Taoiseach Leo Varadkar attending EU-Community of Latin American & Caribbean States (CELAC)

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is attending the EU-Community of Latin American & Caribbean States (CELAC) on 17 and 18 July in Brussels.

The first such meeting in eight years, it will be chaired by European Council President Charles Michel and the President of St. Vincent & Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, and attended by all EU Member States and CELAC members.

During the summit, the Taoiseach will join other leaders to discuss trade and sustainable development, as well as climate change and tackling inequality.

The Taoiseach will reaffirm Ireland’s commitment to Small Island Developing States, to ensuring that commitments under COP26 and COP27 are fulfilled, and to working towards a fair and inclusive international financial system that supports sustainable development.

The Taoiseach will have bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, President Rodrigo Chaves Robles of Costa Rica, President Gabriel Boric of Chile, and Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena of Mexico.

Speaking today in advance of the summit, the Taoiseach said:

“This Summit, the first in eight years, is an opportunity to renew the EU's commitment to closer cooperation with partners in Latin America and the Caribbean. In an increasingly multi-polar world, it is essential to build global partnerships that bring mutual benefits.

“This Summit offers that possibility in relation to climate change, trade and sustainable development. It is important to share our perspective as EU countries and to hear from Latin America and the Caribbean about their ambitions for our partnership and for a safe, prosperous, sustainable future for both our regions.”

The Taoiseach’s attendance at the Summit highlights Ireland’s commitment to deepening bilateral and multilateral engagement with the region, as set out in Global Ireland: Ireland's Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2025.