Brazil hosts Unasur Summit to relaunch regional integration

Brazil hosts Unasur Summit to relaunch regional integration

The Government of Brazil has confirmed it will host a Summit in Brasilia on May 30 to relaunch Unasur. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s initiative will be called Meeting of Presidents of South American Countries and “aims to promote a frank dialogue among all, aimed at identifying common denominators, discussing perspectives for the region and reactivating the South American cooperation agenda in key areas, such as health, climate change, defense, combating illicit transnational corporations, infrastructure, and energy, among others,” according to Itamaraty Palace.

With Lula’s return to power, Brazil has rejoined Unasur and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac). Unasur was created in 2008 as a boost to regional integration in energy, education, health, environment, infrastructure, security and democracy.

In his letter of invitation to his colleagues, Lula defends the need to “revitalize integration in South America, calls for differences to be set aside in the name of a common destiny, speaks of the need to cooperate on defense, health, and infrastructure, among other issues, mentions the geopolitical challenges of today’s world, the importance of seeking collective solutions and repositioning South America as a player on the global stage,” reported O Globo.

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira seized the opportunity this week to bring the letter personally to Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso.

Lula also said it was imperative that the countries of the region re-conceive South America as a region of peace and cooperation, and called for everyone to come to the table and engage in dialogue with transparency and a constructive spirit.