1. What is CELAC?

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is a mechanism for political agreement encompassing all 33 countries in the region and is the result of the convergence of the of the Rio Group and the Latin America and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development (CALC). It was created during the Unity Summit in 2010 and was launched on December 3, 2011 in Caracas, at the closing of the III Latin America and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development (CALC) and the XVII Rio Group Summit.

The following countries are part of CELAC: Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Bolivia; Brazil; Chile; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Grenada; Guatemala; Guyana; Honduras; Jamaica; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Saint Lucia; St. Kitts and Nevis; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; Uruguay and Venezuela.

2. What is the purpose of this mechanism?

To foster regional integration for the promotion of our sustainable development; to promote political consensus; to boost the Latin American and Caribbean agenda in global fora, positioning the region in international-level events; fostering dialogue with other States and regional organizations; promoting communication and cooperation among regional and sub-regional institutions, among others.

3. How does it operate and why was this modality chosen?

CELAC does not have support from a Secretariat and it does not receive contributions from member States. It reaches decisions by consensus and is ruled by procedures adopted by the Heads of State and Government during the Caracas Summit. A State is assigned the Pro-Tempore Presidency (Chile from December, 2011 until January, 2012), which is a body of institutional, technical and administrative support for the CELAC and whose operations are assisted by a Troika made up of the country with the previous presidency and the succeeding one (Venezuela 2011, Chile 2012 and Cuba 2013).

4. What progress was made during its first year and on what topics?

During 2012, the Chilean pro tempore presidency has set up the CELAC operations and has coordinated the executions of the mandates contained in the Caracas Declaration and Action Plan. To that end, it has carried out activities such as the I Troika Meeting of CELAC Foreign Affairs Ministers (January) and the I Meeting of CELAC Foreign Affairs Ministers in New York (September). At the same time, it has participated in more than forty issues discussed by the United Nations General Assembly.

Some of the most prominent topics addressed are the agreements reached during the meetings on Humanitarian Assistance, Energy, Finance, Infrastructure and Physical Integration, Environment, Migrations, Cooperation and the organization of the Symposium on “Progress and Challenges in Scientific Research on Treatments, Pharmacological Strategies and Vaccines against Drug Addiction”.

This mechanism was well received at the international level. As a result, an agreement was reached to set up a Cooperation forum with the Popular Republic of China. Progress was also made in strengthening ties with India and organizing meetings with the Russian Federation, the Republic of Korea, the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

5. What does it mean for Chile to bePresident Pro Tempore?

It is an honor for Chile to be President Pro Tempore of the CELAC during its first year and to be able to contribute both to building the CELAC and to implement the mandates adopted by the Heads of State and Government during the Caracas Summit. It is a great opportunity to project our policies on political agreement as well as on economic and physical integration. It is also a chance to move forward in a process in which Latin American and Caribbean countries may attain greater sustainable economic and social development that will offer more opportunities to those most in need. Thus, we provide a testimonial that this integration project is possible and that it has been very well received by the region and the world.

6. What will be Chile’s legacy after this presidency?

This is a cooperative work of the member States and, therefore, Chile hopes that the CELAC’s achievements in 2012 may be able to continue with other achievements in order to ensure the well-being of our peoples through integration and agreement.

We hope to have made a contribution for the correct operation of the CELAC. We have noted progress in the strengthening of regional dialogue and in integration issues.

7. What are the main objectives of this I CELAC Summit?

To assess the work done and to approve the actions that CELAC will need to carry out during 2013. This will result in the Santiago Declaration and Action Plan. Likewise, it will provide guidelines for the work of the Regional and Sub-Regional Integration Mechanisms through quantifiable and measurable objectives.

8. Will there be meetings prior to the I Summit?

Organizational meetings such as the Troika, the IV Meeting of National Coordinators and the II Meeting of

Foreign Affairs Ministers were held prior to the Heads of States Summit. Nearly 15 meetings have been held during the year on different topics that will be addressed in the Summit.

9. What topics were addressed and what were the results of these previous meetings?

The Troika, the National Coordinators and the CELAC Foreign Affairs Ministers meetings coordinated the decisions and resolutions aimed at preparing the agreements that will need to be approved by the Heads of States during the Summit, including sectoral topics. Some highlights include the approval of the Community meetings calendar, the agreements attained in the thematic meetings, the formalities and activities carried out both at the regional and global levels and the modifications in work procedures.

10. Once Chile is no longer the President Pro Tempore, who will be in charge and how will the work continue?

The Republic of Cuba will become the new CELAC President Pro Tempore during 2013 and will have the task of coordinating the implementation of the Santiago Declaration and Action Plan, mentioned above. Costa Rica will become President Pro Tempore in 2014.

Once the I CELAC Summit concludes, the Troika will be made up of Cuba, Chile, Costa Rica and Haiti, as President of the CARICOM. This will be possible because the Troika will be broadened during the Santiago Summit.

We are certain that this second year of operations of the CELAC will lead to its institutional consolidation and will allow making progress with the mandates that must be executed by this forum.

Ambassador Adolfo Carafí, National Deputy Coordinator and Director-General for Multilateral and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile