Former President Leonel Fernandez, who is the head of the Global Democracy and Development Foundation (Funglode), suggested that the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) be the speaker for the region in all interregional discussions on global issues. Fernandez made the suggestion as part of his participation as the principle speaker at the conference “The Challenges of Latin American Integration: CELAC and Unasur” held at the Metropolitan University for Education and Work (UMET) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
According to the Listin Diario, Fernandez said, “CELAC should go beyond regional integration and be a voice in the global scene.” The former President suggested the creation of a special commission to deal with Chinese relations with Latin America as well as the relation of the region with the Russian Confederation, the Arab League and the African Union. He praised the advances of Unasur and suggested that CELAC might imitate these steps.