President Danilo Medina returned on Thursday, 29 June 2017 from San José, Costa Rica where he met with the presidents of Central America while participating in the 49th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Central American Integration System (SICA).
Speaking at the plenary session of the summit, Medina said the meeting had been important for strengthening of the strategic agenda of the organization to achieve a quantitative step ahead in the regional integration process. He spoke of the priorities of collectively finding answers to climate change and poverty in the region. Medina also spoke of the need to find new sources of financing for the development agenda and for opening more doors to cooperation.
“We believe that approving the concept of ‘regional public good’ will enable us to access external financing and exercise better accountability. Central America must be heard in the global debate on financing for development,” said Medina.
Medina emphasized that the region needs to align international cooperation with sustainable development goals and improve mechanisms for measuring compliance with those goals. He highlighted SICA’s progress in issues such as regional security, democratic institutions, promoting small and medium-sized enterprises, value chains, risk management and in the fight against climate change. He called for the regional efforts directed to water conservation at a time when the region ahs been affected by droughts. He said he shares the vision that SICA should have definite mandates and action lines that are sustainable in time.
He called for continuing to work towards an every day more prosperous Central America, more united, and with a clear and strong voice in the world.
The Presidency reported that Medina held bilateral meetings with the presidents of Panama and Guatemala.
Traveling with Medina was Administrative Minister José Ramón Peralta, Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas, senator Félix Nova Paulino (Monseñor Nouel) and deputy José Miguel Cabrera.
SICA was formed in 1991 and its members are: Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Dominican Republic and Belize.
30 June 2017
