Migration, energy and drug trafficking: the government’s priorities in the Latin American integration agenda

The foreign minister warned that irregular migration is a serious and delicate phenomenon that requires a continental response. @CancilleriaCol/Twitter

On March 1, 2023, the International Seminar: integration and convergence of Latin America and the Caribbean was held at the Externado de Colombia University. The event was attended by the chancellor, Álvaro Leyva, former president Ernesto Samper Pizano and the rector of that institution. Hernando Parra Nieto.

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During the act, the head of the foreign relations portfolio revealed some of the government’s priorities in relation to the Latin American integration agenda, highlighting the attention to problems such as irregular migration, climate change and drug trafficking.

Throughout the dialogue, he explained that his purpose is to create a joint agenda around the aforementioned problems, but also to position himself as an articulating actor in the Latin American panorama. In this regard, he assured, “For our part we have made some calls, always having Latin America and the Caribbean as the center of gravity.”

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In relation to the migratory processes that the country is experiencing, the foreign minister assured that it is no longer an exclusive phenomenon of Venezuela, while warning that it is a serious and delicate phenomenon that requires a continental response.

For this reason, he called on attendees to be attentive to the results of the Latin American Conference on Migration, which will be held in Mexico. Within the framework of that event, he confirmed that he will meet with his counterpart from the Aztec country, Marcelo Ebrard.

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In relation to climate change, he mentioned the Amazon, as well as the need to convene, from Colombia, a conference around two axes: the environmental crisis and the possibility of creating an electrical interconnection between the Americas.

“so that developed countries do not have to depend on fossil fuels, but from clean generation that we basically have in Latin America and the Caribbean,” he said at the event.

On drug trafficking, Leyva referred to the need to launch a Regional Conference on Drug Trafficking, justified by the transnational nature of the phenomenon, it is expected that the initial management for this call will begin as soon as possible. At the end of the event, he stressed the need to strengthen Latin American integration.

Leyva referred to the need to launch a Regional Conference on Drug Trafficking. @CancilleriaCol/Twitter.

For his part, former President Samper expressed the need to take advantage of the new technological tools in the integration processes, but also to “include people” in the integration processes, through the linking and participation of businessmen and social organizations in said process.

The former Colombian president also spoke out in relation to drug policy, a topic where he assured:

“In political matters there is the issue of drugs, getting out of prohibition. We also have a social and cultural agenda, regional citizenship. We propose to have periodic meetings, to recover the inertia, it is good to have this space and as a support group always ready”.

The event was an initiative of the Externado University, sponsored by the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the Escenarios Corporation. Other attendees were delegates from various Latin American countries.

It is pertinent to remember that, on February 23, President Gustavo Petro met with North American congressmen and delegates from the United States, at the event he recommended a “pact for life” based on the transition to clean energy and changes in the fight against drugs. The meeting was organized by the Aspen Foundation and took place in Cartagena de Indias.

The speech of the Colombian president, at that time, was oriented in three directions, the first pointing out the need to transition to a new energy model; the second, to change public policy around the fight against drugs and finally, he presented to the attendees the priorities of his government in relation to internal politics.

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