Minister Alberto van Klaveren highlights Ministry's achievements at the Participative Public Account 2022-2023

Foreign Affairs Minister Alberto van Klaveren presented the Participative Public Account 2022-2023 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, where he highlighted the main achievements made during the first year of the Government and the challenges for the period 2023-2024.

First, the Minister pointed out that the Foreign Affairs Ministry's priorities will be Latin America; Multilateralism; the promotion and defence of Human Rights: the Feminist Foreign Policy, and the Turquoise Foreign Policy.

With regard to the balance of the year, the minister valued neighbourly relations. "With our neighbours, we have made progress in the realisation of an agenda based on common interests," he said, mentioning as examples the visit of the President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, in April of this year, the holding of the Binational Cabinet with Peru, and the dialogue on migration issues with Bolivia.

In addition, he said that the strengthening of regional coordination forums had also been a priority, highlighting Chile's active participation in the Summit of the Americas in 2022; in the 52nd General Assembly of the Organisation of American States (OAS); in all the meetings of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and in the International Conference on the Political Process in Venezuela.

On the multilateral agenda, he mentioned as an achievement "Chile's full participation in international organisations, reinforcing our commitment to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals".

At the same time, he said that the "Foreign Ministry has strengthened and diversified Chile's international presence through bilateral relations with the regions of the world, including Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and Central America, as well as Africa and the Middle East".

Regarding human rights, the Foreign Minister stated that "the work during the period focused on positioning the defence and promotion of human rights as a hallmark of Chile's presence in the world, acting in an active and committed manner in the human rights bodies of the United Nations System and the Inter-American System". In this regard, he highlighted Chile's election as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the period 2023-2023, and the installation of the 157th Regular Session of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights held in Santiago between 23 and 28 April.

In relation to trade policy, he highlighted the conclusion of negotiations with the European Union for the signing of the Advanced Framework Agreement that updates and modernises the Association Agreement between the European Union and Chile, signed in 2002. "This is a strategic alliance that reflects our convergence of values with the European Union," he said.  He also pointed out that "last February the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the CPTPP, entered into force for our country, becoming the tenth full member of this agreement, which will allow Chile to position itself in the most dynamic area of the world, the Asia-Pacific".

In the consular sphere, the foreign minister valued Chile's continued participation in the Visa Waiver Programme. "We are the only Latin American country that is part of the US Visa Waiver Program, which has facilitated cultural and business exchanges between the two countries and demonstrates confidence in our bilateral relations," he said.

Regarding Feminist Foreign Policy, she mentioned the memorandums of understanding on gender equality signed with Argentina, Canada, Spain and the United States. She also highlighted Chile's active participation in United Nations forums that promote the participation and empowerment of women and girls in all spheres of society.

On the Turquoise Foreign Policy, the Minister highlighted Chile's participation as a State Party to the COP2 of the Escazu Agreement; the signing of the creation of the coalition "Americas for the Protection of the Ocean" in the framework of the IX Summit of the Americas; the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation for water conservation, land and ocean protection with Los Angeles, United States, the participation in the United Nations Conference on the Ocean and in the Our Ocean 2023 Conference.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alberto van Klaveren ended the Participative Public Account by thanking "each and every one of the officials who are part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who, both in Chile and abroad, have contributed with their unwavering dedication and commitment to the development of our foreign policy".