At the end of the sessions in this capital of the Mechanism of Political Dialogue and Cooperation, attended by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the parties stressed the need for modern energy services that are affordable, promote sustainability and self-sufficiency of the entire population.
Regarding alternative energies (solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear for peaceful purposes), they pointed out that these are new options for the countries of the region.
In this sense, they agreed on the importance of promoting rational and efficient use of energy in production chains, taking into account social justice, economic growth, environmental sustainability and governance, elements of the 2030 Sustainable Energy Strategy of the SICA countries.
In a joint communiqué, they also underlined the importance of South-South cooperation, a modality in which India is a recognized benchmark and in which SICA has an important work agenda.
Recalling the fruitful deliberations at the Voice of the Global South Summit chaired by New Delhi in January this year, the countries of the SICA region thanked that country for speaking to the concerns of the Global South during its G20 presidency and developing countries, particularly in relation to finance and climate change.
India and SICA have agreed to work together in the areas of food and nutrition security, connectivity, agriculture, information technology, health and other areas of common interest, the final statement said.
In light of the impact of Covid-19, SICA members appreciated India’s support to the region through the Vaccine Maitri humanitarian initiative, which provided vaccines against the disease to various nations.
They also agreed to further explore and expand trade and investment spaces.
They also welcomed the decision to convene the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in 2025 to, inter alia, assess policies and initiatives to overcome current constraints and to address new and emerging problems.
With this appointment, Jaishankar ended a two-day stay on the Isthmus, during which he met with key authorities and businessmen, before embarking on a tour that will take him to Colombia and the Dominican Republic, first visiting Guyana, whose The purpose is to restart the South Asian country’s connections with Latin America and the Caribbean.
SICA was founded in December 1991 and consists of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Belize and the Dominican Republic later joined as full members. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the United States, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay participate as regional observers.
jha/ga