Chile and Italy sign agreements on diplomatic education and sustainable development

The Acting Minister (s) Foreign Affairs, Gloria de la Fuente, accompanied the President of the Republic, Gabriel Boric, in the meeting held today with the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, who has been on an official visit to Chile since yesterday.  On the occasion, both presidents discussed important matters that are part of the close relationship between Chile and Italy, as well as relevant issues of the international agenda.

After the meeting, the Acting Minister signed a memorandum of understanding on diplomatic training, whose objective is to establish a framework for cooperation in those activities related to the training of diplomats, under the principle of reciprocity and mutual benefit.  In addition, the Minister of Environment, Maisa Rojas, signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of sustainable development.

During the meeting held by both presidents, they highlighted the completion of the modernization process of the Association Agreement between Chile and the EU, trusting that the signing of the Advanced Framework Agreement will take place at the end of this year in Brussels. This new agreement updates and expands the areas of cooperation between Chile and the European Union, including the values and principles that both share and that make them allies in international forums: the promotion of democracy, the defense of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and good governance, as well as sustainable development, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, among others subjects.

They also highlighted the need for closer cooperation in a wide range of areas, such as academia; Antarctica; astronomy; science and technology; clean renewable energies; the climate crisis; environmental protection; the fight against organized crime; and increased trade and investment. In addition, in the area of human rights, they highlighted the relevance of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the military coup in Chile.

In foreign policy, they addressed regional and global issues, reiterating, in particular, the strong condemnation of the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine and the support of the international community to put an end to this aggression, which violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.   

It should be noted that the bilateral relationship between Chile and Italy is of long standing, with a broad and multidimensional character, and has acquired a density that transforms Italy into one of our main partners in the European Union. This relationship is also nourished by the important migration of Italian citizens to Chile at the beginning of the twentieth century and the great contributions they made to Chilean culture and society.