ECLAC Will Cooperate with Ecuador during its Period as President Pro Tempore of CELAC

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will place its technical capabilities at the disposal of Ecuador as President Pro Tempore of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and will collaborate in that country’s work to promote the definition of strategic goals and indicators to guide the Community in areas such as poverty, inequality and climate change.

ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, Alicia Bárcena, met with Ecuador’s Foreign Relations Minister, Ricardo Patiño, on Thursday, February 19 in order to coordinate actions structuring a cooperation strategy with Ecuador. “All ECLAC’s capability is at the disposal of the President Pro Tempore of CELAC,” stated Alicia Bárcena.

Ricardo Patiño stressed that ECLAC’s experience in the management of indicators and goals will be very helpful for Ecuador as head of the regional block. The Minister said that his country’s work proposal will be submitted to the consideration of Foreign Affairs Ministers and Heads of State of CELAC’s member states, which will make a decision on that subject.

When taking over as President Pro Tempore last January, during the III CELAC Summit held in Costa Rica, Ecuador proposed as priority goals for the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to fight against poverty and inequality, mitigate climate change and encourage respect towards the environment, support financing for development, promote science and technology, and improve the region’s infrastructure.

During the meeting, Alicia Bárcena was accompanied by ECLAC’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Antonio Prado; Chief of the Production, Productivity and Management Division, Mario Cimoli; Economic Affairs Officer of that same Division, Marco Dini; and the Commission’s Political Affairs Officer, Enrique Oviedo.

The meeting was also attended by Ecuador’s National Planning and Development Secretary, Pabel Muñoz; Technical Secretariat for the Eradication of Poverty, Ana María Larrea; and Executive Director of the National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC), José Rosero, as well as representatives from other Ministries.

CELAC, which gathers all American countries except the United States and Canada, was created in 2010. The organization’s former Pro Tempore Presidencies were held by Chile, Cuba and Costa Rica.