<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez participated this Saturday in the IV EU-CELAC Summit, where he expressed Spain's support for the approval of the Mercosur agreement before the end of the year.</strong></h4> The fourth summit between the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), held in Santa Marta, Colombia, was co-chaired by the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, in his current role as CELAC's pro tempore president. During his address to the plenary session, the Prime Minister warned that the strategic alliance between the two regions is a "geostrategic imperative" in the current geopolitical context. "Europe and Latin America can and must be a beacon of stability, prosperity, and openness," stated Pedro Sánchez, who asserted that the next Secretary-General of the United Nations should be a woman and Latin American. He also insisted that only a rules-based international system allows us to respond to major transnational challenges, such as the climate emergency, organized crime, artificial intelligence, and tax justice. On trade, President Pedro Sánchez reiterated Spain's support for the approval of the Mercosur agreement before the end of the year and the need to strengthen relations with Mexico by modernizing the Global Agreement signed between the two countries. Regarding investment, he highlighted Spain's leadership as the top investor in Latin America, contributing €9.4 billion to the Global Gateway Agenda, of which €5.3 billion has already been mobilized for operations in the region and projects related to connectivity, green and digital transition, health, and sustainable infrastructure. He also recalled the ties that bind both regions and emphasized, in particular, the pillars of relations between Spain and Latin America and the Caribbean, based on shared history, social bonds, and language.
