Mexico City will host a meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Pacific Alliance, who will assess the external relations of this integration initiative and ponder the work with its Observer States, on Thursday, March 17, 2016.

Currently, there are 42 Observer States in the Pacific Alliance, most of which share working agendas and cooperation projects with the Pacific Alliance in strategic areas such as education, innovation and competitiveness, among others.

The forthcoming meeting will provide an opportunity for ministers to strengthen the work with this group of countries, which is fundamental in order to further the international projection of the Pacific Alliance.

Ministers attending the meeting will be Maria Angela Holguin, from Colombia; Claudia Ruiz Massieu, from Mexico; Ana Maria Sanchez, from Peru; as well as the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Edgardo Riveros.

Mexico city, March 16th 2016

The first session of the 23° round of meetings of the technical groups of the Pacific Alliance started today in Bogota, with the presence of govenment officials of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

The following groups are currently meeting in the headquarters of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia: External Relations, Movement of People, Communication Strategy, Cooperation, Institutional Affairs, SMEs, Innovation, Gender, Immigration and Security, Foreign Trade Single Windows, Regulatory Cooperation, as well as the Committee of Experts of the Business Council.

In addition, the technical groups of Trade Facilitation and Customs Cooperation, Foreign Trade Single Windows and Authorized Economic Operator are meeting in Cartagena. Activities of these groups include a visit to the city port in order to acquaint themselves with this port´s Simultaneous Inspection System, implemented by Colombia as a means to facilitate foreign trade operations.

With these actions, the Pacific Alliance continues to fulfill the President´s mandates aimed to deepen integration among its four full members.

March 1, 2016

The Deputy Ministers of Foreign Trade and Foreign Affairs of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru will attend the XXXIII Meeting of the Pacific Alliance High Level Group (HLG), in Bogota, on March 3.  Government officials of the four countries will gather on the two previous days, as part of the XXIII round of meetings of the technical groups.  The aforementioned events will take place in the headquarters of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia.

The agenda includes areas to be discussed by the following technical groups and subgroups: External Relations, Movement of People, Communication Strategy, Cooperation, Institutional Affairs, SMEs, Innovation, Gender, Immigration and Security, Foreign Trade Single Windows, Regulatory Cooperation, Trade Facilitation and Customs Cooperation, as well as the Committee of Experts of the Business Council.

The Technical Group of External Relations will agree on proposals aimed to deepen ties between the Pacific Alliance and the 42 observer states. This Group seeks to promote joint initiatives with observers in the framework of the four pillars of the Pacific Alliance: free movement of goods, services, people and capital.

As a result, the Pacific Alliance aims to move forward in the completion of the mandates of the Paracas Declaration. In this context, the HLG will make the necessary assessments and give directives in order to prepare the XI Summit of the Pacific Alliance, to be held on July 1, in Puerto Varas, Chile.

The Pacific Alliance is a regional integration mechanism established by Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru on April 28, 2011. The full members of this alliance concentrate a population of 216 million people and represent 38% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of Latin America and the Caribbean.

February 26, 2016

The Pacific Alliance welcomes the establishment of the ASEAN Community on 31 December, marking a milestone event since the actions of this ambitious area of integration will accelerate economic growth , progress and cultural development in the region Southeast Asia, envisioning that directly contribute to the welfare of their population.

The Pacific Alliance makes wishes for the ASEAN Community success and reiterates its commitment to strengthening dialogue and cooperation so that the work between the two mechanisms will lead to the institutionalization of their relations and the advance of the cooperation in benefit of their people.

On occasion of the XXIII Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) Summit, was held today the “Informal Dialogue between the Pacific Alliance (AP) & APEC”, which was co-chaired by the President of Peru, Ollanta Humala, as President Pro Tempore of the Pacific Alliance and the President of Philippines, Benigno Simeon Aquino III, Chair of APEC. Also attended the Presidents of Chile, Colombia and Mexico, and the leaders of APEC.

The meeting aimed at discussing opportunities in the agendas of both mechanisms, and represents for the Pacific Alliance an opportunity to boost its global projection, with special emphasis on Asia, a goal of said integration process.

During the meeting progress of each of the regional economic integration processes was analysed, their similarities were examined, a wide range of issues covered by each process were highlighted. Similarly, opportunities for collaboration were discussed.

APEC is the largest multilateral economic forum of economic and political importance in the Asia-Pacific. Created in 1989 its main objective is to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity for the Asia-Pacific region. Its 21 member economies are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Korea, USA, Philippines, Hong Kong-China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Singapore , Taipei China, Thailand, and Vietnam. APEC economies represent the 56% of world production and the 46% of global trade.

It should be noted that Australia, Canada, China, Korea, USA, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, and Thailand, are both APEC members and observer states of the Pacific Alliance.

The Pacific Alliance is the regional integration initiative formed on April 2011 by Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. It represents the eighth world economy, accounting for 37% of gross domestic product and 52% of foreign trade in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Philippines, November 18th – 2015

On November 18, it will be hold in Manila, the dialogue between the Pacific Alliance Presidents and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum Leaders, in the framework of the XXIII Leaders Summit of the Forum.

The event, aimed to the four Presidents of the Pacific Alliance and the Leaders of APEC, will provide an opportunity to examine the integration process on both mechanisms and identify possible areas of future collaboration.

APEC has 21 members which represent approximately the 40 % of the world population, the 58% of world GDP and about the 45% of international trade. These economies are: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, USA  and Vietnam.

Today, in the city of Punta Arenas, Chile, was held the meeting of the High Level Group (HLG) of the Pacific Alliance, composed of the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the four Pacific Alliance’s countries.

In order to advance the mandates of the Heads of State at the Summit of Paracas, Deputy Ministers examined the reports of the Technical Groups that met during the previous two days around a series of issues such as innovation, SMEs, trade facilitation, trade unique windows, technical-productive education, movement of people and cultural theme recently joined the Declaration of Paracas.

They also assessed the reports on the meeting of Presidents in New York within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly; the Second Ministerial Meeting of the Pacific Alliance with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and the status of recommendations and proposals of the Business Council of the Pacific Alliance.

About external relations, the Deputy Ministers referred to the dialogue which was held with Portugal, the EU and the OECD. It was also agreed to continue working with the mechanism 42 observer countries, particularly regarding cooperation projects of interest to the Pacific Alliance.

In other matters, the Deputy Ministers assessed the schedule of upcoming activities of the Pacific Alliance and agreed to promote in all countries the approval and early entry into force of the Trade Protocol that most liberalized trade between the countries of the Pacific Alliance that will contribute to significantly boost its trade integration.

The countries of the Pacific Alliance represent the eighth world economy , concentrate a population of 216 million people and have an average per capita GDP of $ 16,500 .

Today, one of the most effective ways for a country to achieve its objectives strategies is through international alliances. Forming mechanisms of integration with countries with common cultural identity initiatives can build a participatory and consensual manner, in support of its participants. This is the path chosen by the Pacific Alliance, which has begun to strengthen ties of cooperation to create the conditions for growth, development and competitiveness.

The International Cervantino Festival adds to the historical agenda that Mexico has with Latin America for the establishment of projects of innovation and entrepreneurship in the arts, and this year is honored to have as guest of honor countries that are part of the Alliance Pacific.

Emblematic examples are presented at the forty-third edition of the Festival, where cultural affinity, language and even geographical location, are virtues that become a potential for intellectual and creative development as well as collective reflection and self-criticism.

Within the Festival, will be held the “Meeting of Ministers of Culture of the Pacific Alliance”, on 7 October in the city of Guanajuato, in order to strengthen ties of cooperation and integration existing well as to discuss issues related to cultural cooperation among member countries.

The recent creation of the Technical Group of Culture will promote the integration and strengthening of entrepreneurship in cultural and creative industries directly affect the economic growth of member countries, to position the identity, diversity and creativity of the citizens in this block regional. At the same time, it will be compliant with the mandate to protect, preserve, safeguard and promote the cultural heritage in all its manifestations.

As part of its participation in the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the Ministers of the Pacific Alliance met on Monday 28 with their counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in order to strengthen the link between the block with the Asia Pacific.

The first meeting took place in September 2014 at the last General Assembly of the United Nations. On that occasion a space for dialogue and mutual understanding was opened and a reflection on the possible topics and initiatives of an agenda for joint work between the Pacific Alliance and ASEAN began.

Also in May 2015 Ambassadors and Representatives of the Pacific Alliance and the Permanent Representatives Committee of ASEAN met in Jakarta, Indonesia to define the issues of the agenda of the initial work, such as energy and minerals, trade facilitation, innovation , logistics, infrastructure and SMEs.

On this occasion, the Ministers of the Pacific Alliance and ASEAN presented the advances that have obtained both integration mechanisms and agreed to promote closer economic cooperation to facilitate trade and investment flows between the two regions for mutual benefit .

In order to strengthen and implement cooperation between the two mechanisms, the ministers agreed to establish a working group composed of foreign relations of the Pacific Alliance and delegates of the Standing Committee of Representatives of ASEAN.

ASEAN is comprised of Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. They are observer states of the Pacific Alliance Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

The Presidents of the member countries of the Pacific Alliance met yesterday in New York to highlight the strength of their economies and the opportunities in trade and investment.

The event organized by the Financial Times and the Business Council of the Pacific Alliance, had among his assistants to CEOs, managers, entrepreneurs and investors interested in the Pacific Alliance.

After greeting the Executive Director of Citigroup, Michael Corbat, the President of Peru Ollanta Humala, current president pro tempore of the mechanism, said a few words of welcome which highlighted the commitment of the countries of the Pacific Alliance in the defense of the free market and the provision, a climate of legal, political and social stability to investors.

In the case of Colombia, President Juan Manuel Santos reaffirmed the commitment of the Pacific Alliance to economic growth, trade and foreign direct investment. He added that the countries of the mechanism, shared principles such as fiscal stability and clear positions on foreign investment.

President Ollanta Humala stressed the homogeneity of the economies of the four countries, which continue consolidating despite the subdued economic performance expected in Latin America. Besides betting on the free movement of capital, services and people, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru are more than 41% of foreign direct investment in Latin America said the Peruvian president.

For his part, Enrique Peña Nieto, president of Mexico said that against this current scenario of volatility and fragility, the countries of the Alliance seek to generate confidence to consolidate growth. He also recalled that the four countries have the determination to move in this bold and innovative initiative that is displayed as one of the best tools to face the adverse scenario of the global economy.

Chilean President Michele Bachelet agreed with the principles outlined by their counterparts and stressed the need for social policies together with measures of healthy economic balance. On the other hand, he stressed that the Alliance countries have a high percentage of free trade agreements, however, stressed the desirability of further progress in developing intraregional trade.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by John Paul Rathbone, editor of the Financial Times and had the closing words of Andreas Von Wedemeyer, President of the Business Council of the Pacific Alliance, a body composed of employers and representative unions of the four countries.