- Title: Protectionist concerns mark start of Latin America's CELAC Summit
- Date: 25th January 2017
- Summary: PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (JANUARY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** GENERAL VIEW OF AUDITORIUM WHERE INAUGURATION FOR CELAC SUMMIT IS BEING HELD CELAC SUMMIT LOGO ON SCREEN VARIOUS OF LATIN AMERICAN LEADERS AT SUMMIT GENERAL VIEW OF DOMINICAN PRESIDENT, DANILO SANCHEZ, ADDRESSING THE SUMMIT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DOMINICAN PRESIDENT, DANILO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "Great Britain's Brexit and the proposal to revise free trade agreements from the United States' new Republican administration are just some of the signals that reveal the political and economic transition we are going through. Our region comes to this historic moment after decades of structural reform that has allowed us to enter the global economy, improve our competitiveness and improve the conditions of our peoples." MORE OF SUMMIT INAUGURATION PEOPLE AT EVENT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DOMINICAN PRESIDENT, DANILO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "It does not seem reasonable to think that the United States and developed countries, after years of pushing for opening and globalisation both inside and outside their borders will now abandoned these policies which have contributed to the hopes of progress for our peoples. I think that we all agree that the whole world will lose if Europe, China and the United States adopt models of tariff reprisals that in the pass have only served to generate poverty." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING WITH CELAC SUMMIT LOGO IN FRONT OF THEM (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DOMINICAN PRESIDENT, DANILO SANCHEZ, SAYING: "We find it concerning that these growing discussions of protectionism and the closing of borders which is not just limited to the economic sphere but has repercussions for our migrant population. In the face of these challenges, we understand CELAC has the great responsibility to always look out for the interests of our people. We must do everything in our power to prevent a return to the past that is now being sold as something superior to the state of development we have reached." VARIOUS OF LEADERS AT SUMMIT / LEADERS LEAVING AUDITORIUM
- Embargoed: 8th February 2017 01:43
- Keywords: CELAC Summit Dominican Republic Cuban President Raul Castro Dominican President Danilo Sanchez inauguration
- Location: PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- City: PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00160FYFYB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Leaders from across Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Punta Cana on Tuesday (January 24) for the 5th CELAC summit of regional heads of states with global protectionism fears marking the inauguration speech of host Dominican President Danilo Sanchez.
Heads of states from the 33-member Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which does not include Canada and the United States, will meet to discuss greater regional cooperation and stronger ties.
But with the backdrop of Brexit and the U.S.'s new president, Donald Trump, pulling the U.S. out of the TPP and seeking to renegotiate NAFTA, Sanchez raised the prospect of a shift towards greater barriers between nations.
"Great Britain's Brexit and the proposal to revise free trade agreements from the United States' new Republican administration are just some of the signals that reveal the political and economic transition we are going through. Our region comes to this historic moment after decades of structural reform that has allowed us to enter the global economy, improve our competitiveness and improve the conditions of our peoples," he said.
Amongst the nations which make up CELAC are export-driven countries like Mexico, Colombia and Peru. Many in the region fear a trade war with the region and the United States will be a step back.
"It does not seem reasonable to think that the United States and developed countries, after years of pushing for opening and globalisation both inside and outside their borders will now abandoned these policies which have contributed to the hopes of progress for our peoples. I think that we all agree that the whole world will lose if Europe, China and the United States adopt models of tariff reprisals that in the pass have only served to generate poverty," added Sanchez.
Migration is also an issue for many CELAC members. President Trump has vowed to deport millions of undocumented migrants from the United States. With many Dominican citizens residing in America, Sanchez said the region must defend the interests of their citizens in the U.S.
"We find it concerning that these growing discussions of protectionism and the closing of borders which is not just limited to the economic sphere but has repercussions for our migrant population. In the face of these challenges, we understand CELAC has the great responsibility to always look out for the interests of our people. We must do everything in our power to prevent a return to the past that is now being sold as something superior to the state of development we have reached," he declared.
The CELAC nations have nearly 600 million people and a gross domestic product of about $6 trillion dollars.
It was created in Venezuela under the late President Hugo Chavez with many of the left-wing leaders within the group seeing CELAC as a platform to fight what they consider imperialism in Latin America and the Caribbean. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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