The Pacific Alliance: Trade and Cooperation to Foster Integration

The Pacific Alliance (PA), an open integration exercise, aims to encourage closer links among its members: Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, and on that basis to better position themselves abroad. In its first five years of existence, the pa is advancing in several of its purposes, as the trade area, migration, tourism, cooperation and external relations. However, beyond these achievements, the Alliance faces the challenge of meeting the expectations in terms of fulfilling its purposes. Among other issues, it warrants a renewed political will to strengthen the cohesion among its members, increase trade between them and adapt a renewed institutional structure.