Seville hosted the Multi-stakeholder Forum on the EU-LAC Bi-regional Pact for Care. Held within the framework of the IV International Conference on Financing for Development, the event was organized by the EU-LAC Foundation together with partner organizations at the Care Pavilion.
During the opening of the Forum, the Executive Director of the EU-LAC Foundation, Alberto Brunori, stated that the upcoming EU-CELAC Summit represents a decisive opportunity to strengthen bi-regional cooperation. He also noted that the "Bi-regional Pact for Care," which focuses on the relationships between people and their environment, can strengthen the network of cooperation instruments between our two regions.
Also speaking at the opening were Arlene Tickner, Ambassador-at-Large for Gender Issues and Global Feminist Politics, Colombia (PPT CELAC); Christian Burgsmüller, Head of the Americas Division 1, European External Action Service; José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary, ECLAC, and Ana Redondo García, Minister of Equality, Spain.
The meeting generated a rich exchange between representatives from both regions, including ministerial authorities and state secretariats responsible for cooperation, foreign relations, finance, social affairs, and women's affairs. They discussed the "why," "what," and "how" of a "Bi-regional Pact for Care."
Government representatives from Chile, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Suriname, and Uruguay shared contributions that countries can make to a Bi-regional Pact for Care, as well as cooperation modalities that could be considered for its implementation. Speakers included Antonia Orellana, Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Chile (video message); Wayne Henry, Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica; Daniel Cámara, Director General of American Regional Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico; Carlos Arturo Hoyos, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Panama; Andjelie Gajadhar, International Cooperation Officer, Suriname; and Rodrigo Arim, Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, Uruguay.
Representatives from international organizations and banks also participated in the forum, such as Raquel Lagunas, Global Director for Gender Equality, UNDP; Bibiana Aidó Almagro, Representative of UN Women in Colombia; Leire Pajín, Vice President of the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly; Diana Rodríguez Franco, Special Advisor on Gender and Diversity to the President of the IDB; and Alejandra Claros, Secretary General, CAF Development Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The second part of the event was held in working groups and strategic dialogue. Representatives of civil society organizations, banks, and international organizations delved into shared priorities, cooperation, and investment modalities to build a common care agenda between Europe and Latin America. The sessions provided technical input on the possible content and modalities of cooperation under the umbrella of a "Bi-regional Pact for Care."
In addition, the Program Director of the EU-LAC Foundation, Anna Barrera, and the EU-LAC WIN Network Consultant, Elizabeth Wright, presented the preliminary results of the digital consultation on the Bi-regional Pact for Care recently conducted by the EU-LAC Foundation.
During the event, the Pact's relevance was highlighted in the context of bi-regional cooperation and the CELAC-EU Summit, which will be held in Colombia in November 2025.