PM Bettel Highlights Climate Action, Environmental Protection Priorities at EU-CELAC Summit

On Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 July 2023, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel participated in the EU-CELAC Summit in Brussels.

The EU-CELAC Summit brought together the heads of state and government of the EU Member States and the 33 Community of Latin American and the Caribbean states (CELAC) for the third time - and the first since 2015.

As noted by Luxembourg's Ministry of State, the first day of the summit began with an opening ceremony, followed by a group photo and a gala dinner.

In the plenary session on the second day, Prime Minister Bettel stressed that the fight against climate change and the protection of the environment must remain priorities on the agenda of multilateral cooperation, including at the level of trade agreements. He continued by emphasising that economic and commercial relations can only be considered successful if they are in line with these principles, as well as with respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights.

On the sidelines of the summit, Luxembourg's Prime Minister had several meetings with his counterparts and colleagues from CELAC countries, including representatives from Mexico and Jamaica. He also had a bilateral exchange with Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. The two prime ministers notably discussed the risks posed by the climate crisis and the need to cooperate closely within international institutions.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen compared the EU-CELAC Summit to "a new beginning between old friends". She elaborated: "These are times of great geopolitical change and like-minded friends like the EU and Latin American and Caribbean partners need to get closer. This is what we are doing with our new Global Gateway Investment Agenda, under which we will invest more than €45 billion in the region. We want to bring benefits to local communities, and create value chains locally, in the region. This is the spirit of our partnership."