The XI Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Governors of the EU-LAC Foundation took place on Tuesday, 19th November, in Warsaw. This was the second ordinary meeting of 2024 and the first following the appointment of José Antonio García Belaúnde as President of the organisation and Alberto Brunori as Executive Director.
The Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andrzej Szejna, welcomed the representatives of our membership participating in the Board of Governors. He highlighted that cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean, deeply rooted in historical ties, is more important than ever in the current global context.
Representing the European Co-Presidency, Pelayo Castro, Deputy Director-General for the Americas, affirmed that Latin America and the Caribbean are strategically significant for the European Union. He underscored the key role the EU-LAC Foundation will play as a catalyst for efforts supporting the process leading to the upcoming EU-CELAC Summit.
From the Latin American and Caribbean Co-Presidency, Kimberley Dougan, representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, emphasised that the EU-LAC relationship is of crucial importance given global challenges in areas such as climate change.
In his first address to the Board, President José Antonio García Belaúnde stated that during meetings held with the membership and various stakeholders, it became clear that the European Union, Latin America, and the Caribbean are committed to revitalising the EU-LAC Foundation as a useful tool, demonstrating their shared commitment to multilateralism.
For his part, Executive Director Alberto Brunori provided an update on the strategies and internal guidelines implemented during the first months of the new leadership's term and the status of the ratification of the Constitutive Agreement. This was complemented by a report on member contributions, the resource mobilisation strategy, and the approval of access to alternative financing sources. Additionally, he presented proposals for the 2025-2028 Multiannual Strategy and the 2025 Work Programme and Budget, which will be evaluated by the membership.
We extend our gratitude to our Co-Presidencies and the delegations that participated in the Board of Governors meeting, as well as to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and the City Council of Warsaw.
