New Actors in the Forging of a Strategic Bi-regional LAC-EU Partnership: The Importance of Preparatory Meetings

In this text, the author gives us a rundown of the increasing participation of non-State actors in the forging of a strategic bi-regional
partnership, with particular emphasis being placed on their contribution to preparatory work for the Guadalajara Summit. These preparatory meetings were related to the issues of multilateralism and social cohesion, both of which were central concerns of the Third LAC-EU Summit. The author goes on to point out that the success of this biregional relationship depends on political dialogue, economic partnerships and cooperation between the governments of these nations, in addition to the participation of non-State actors. As regards the latter, she mentions the Rio Summit as a precedent that establishes the importance of these preparatory meetings to bi-regional relations and how they have helped strengthen this relationship. A concise report of the reunions is provided, the purpose of which was to institutionalize preparatory meetings, promote dialogue among the different actors, encourage debate on priority issues, and improve mutual understanding and bi-regional dialogue. Their outcome, she says, was of vital importance to the negotiations that culminated in the Declaration of Guadalajara. The challenge, she concludes, is to find a mechanism that guarantees the recommendations and commitments undertaken will be followed up on.