Havana, December 13, 2021.- The alliance is not only strengthened but is more relevant and necessary than ever, said Sacha Llorenti, Executive Secretary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People's Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), today in Havana.
During a press conference held before the 20th ALBA-TCP Summit, the Bolivian diplomat highlighted that during the pandemic, the organization worked in an exemplary manner with the creation of a humanitarian fund for the acquisition of vaccines and set up an air bridge for the shipment of supplies, medicines and doctors, which explains why the member states are at the forefront in the treatment of COVID-19, in spite of the coercive measures taken by the United States.
He pointed out as achievements of the political coordination mechanism in this stage the defense of the positions of the member states in the debates to coordinate the fight against climate change and the coordination in the international scenario of our independence.
We have challenges that we can face with solidarity and complementarity, which is one of the objectives pursued by the Alliance, along with the defense of the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, Llorenti added.
New breezes are coming in our region, for example the recovery of democracy in Bolivia and the victories in Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela, which we hope will bring better days for our nations and other instances of integration, he said, noting that ALBA-TCP is promoting the revitalization of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States as the natural scenario for regional integration.
Referring to the topics of the 20th Summit to be held tomorrow, Tuesday, the first in person since the outbreak of the pandemic, he pointed out that the agenda includes the analysis of the current situation and the proposal of a post-pandemic work plan, as well as the evaluation of what has been done since the last summit.
Lorenti also mentioned that the executive secretariat will propose to the heads of delegations the creation of an observatory to carry out periodic reports on the use of a 224 million dollar fund recently created by the United States to promote destabilizing actions in the region.
An economic complementarity council meeting is planned with a view to strengthening this area of cooperation, for example transportation connectivity among member countries, which is one of the priorities for 2022.
Heads of State and Government continue arriving today in Havana to participate at the 20th Alba-TCP Summit to be held on December 14 to celebrate the 17th anniversary of this regional political coordination mechanism.
On Sunday, the heads of the delegations of Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Kitts and Nevis arrived in Cuba, where they were welcomed by Alpidio Alonso, Cuban minister of culture.