Spain and Chile have held the 8th meeting of the Bilateral Political Consultation Mechanism in Madrid today, at which they have identified a series of priority headings for their bilateral relations, namely, feminist foreign policy, environmental and marine environment protection, collaboration on science and innovation, cooperation for triangular development, historical memory, the migratory agenda and security.
These consultations, which were chaired by the State Secretary for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and for Spanish around the World, Juan Fernández Trigo, and by the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Chile, Ximena Fuentes Torrijo, take place in accordance with the provisions of the Strategic Association signed between the two countries in 2013. During the consultations, the two delegations resolved to continue to boost increasingly closer bilateral relations with a renewed and intense exchange of high-level visits, and to strengthen areas for collaboration.
As strategic partners and countries that advocate active multilateralism, Spain and Chile exchanged perspectives on the most important aspects of international current affairs, such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and its impact on global food and energy security, and the holding of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), which will be held in Sharm El-Sheikh. During the meeting, a good climate of understanding and dialogue was observed between the two countries, along with similar outlooks on the different subjects.
The meeting resulted in mutual congratulations between the attendees on the cooperation that exists between Spain and Chile on matters relating to the Antarctic. Both sides declared their intention to continue developing this cooperation in the future. Spain also took the opportunity to thank and convey express recognition of the Chilean authorities in the collaboration they always offer in the Antarctic Campaign.
Cooperation relations between the two countries will continue to be reinforced, particularly in their regional and triangular dimension, to which end the programme on the use of the Spain-Chile Triangular Cooperation Joint Fund is being reactivated.
Association Agreement
At an inter-regional level, the two parties reviewed perspectives on the updating of the EU-Chile Association Agreement, which now dates back 20 years, with the aim of taking the strategic relationship between the EU and Chile to a new level; both governments are committed to pushing through this modernisation process. The agreement may contain elements on sustainable development and gender policies that are along the same lines as the priorities of the respective governments.
The state of overall relations between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean was another of the issues addressed. Spain has reiterated its willingness for the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in the second half of 2023, to serve as a good opportunity to relaunch a relationship that needs to be more substantive and productive, and which will be given impetus by a Summit of EU-CELAC Heads of State and Government. They also agreed on the importance of maintaining the commitment to the Ibero-American Conference and the desirability of participation at the highest level, starting with the upcoming summit to be held in the Dominican Republic in March.
Spain is the third leading foreign investor in Chile and the excellent bilateral economic relations between the two countries have a renewed potential at this time. This involves a strategic, diversified investment with a clear vocation for permanence. Furthermore, consular aspects of interest for the respective groups of residents in the two countries were also addressed.
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