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UPI
5 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
Leaders urge rethink of Latin America's global role
Leaders of Latin America and the Caribbean gathered to discuss the region's global role. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo July 25 (UPI) -- The Latin American and Caribbean Presidential Mission convened a strategic forum Wednesday, July 23, in San José, Costa Rica, to discuss the role Latin America could play in the evolving global landscape. Amid weakening multilateralism, the rise of emerging powers and the fragmentation of traditional global structures, the central question was clear: Is Latin America ready to take on global leadership -- or will it remain on the sidelines of major decision-making? Former Costa Rican presidents Laura Chinchilla, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Rafael Ángel Calderón and Luis Guillermo Solís joined former Bolivian President Carlos Mesa and former Guatemalan President Vinicio Cerezo in calling for an end to regional fragmentation and urging Latin America to seize the opportunities of a new multipolar world. "This is not just about adapting -- it's about influencing. Latin America can and must be a relevant player in the new global landscape," Cerezo said. He added that only through deep and strategic integration can the region play a meaningful role in reshaping the international order. The forum highlighted Latin America's key strategic assets -- biodiversity, clean energy, a young population, democratic traditions and abundant natural resources. But it also emphasized that those resources are being underused due to a lack of regional coordination, the rise of populism and the erosion of democratic consensus. "At this moment, Latin America and Europe are absent as global actors," said Josette Altman, a Costa Rican academic and political analyst, noting that regional integration is at a historic low. Laura Chinchilla warned that the world is undergoing not a temporary disruption but a structural shift, marked by ruptures in traditional alliances, a crisis in multilateralism and rising political polarization. She said Latin America should not only defend democracy and solidarity but also push for reforms to make the international system more effective and representative. Miguel Ángel Rodríguez said the world is experiencing a "change of era," with deep shifts in values, leadership and the exercise of power. He urged Latin America to align itself with Europe to defend the rule of law and liberal democracy. From a Central American perspective, Olinda Salguero, executive vice president of the Latin American Presidential Mission, emphasized that Latin America is a strategic region. In 2023, it attracted 49% of foreign direct investment from emerging economies, surpassing Asia. However, she warned that in key fields such as artificial intelligence, the region accounts for just 0.6% of academic publications. "We can't afford to fall behind in the knowledge society. Latin America must move from words to action," she said. Carlos Mesa reiterated the urgent need to build genuine mechanisms for integration -- not ideologically, but strategically. That message was echoed by Rafael Calderón, who recalled that Latin American unity was made possible when the region embraced democracy. "Just as we overcame dictatorships, we can also consolidate democracy if we remain persistent," he said. From Paraguay, former Vice President Luis Alberto Castiglioni said Latin America offers the world stability, peace, food, clean energy and democratic principles -- assets that should strengthen ties with partners such as the European Union. He pointed to the Mercosur-EU trade talks and the strategic relationship with Taiwan on technological development, advocating for a model of cooperation free from political conditions. Luis Guillermo Solís said a key issue in the integration debate is the slow growth of many regional economies. He added that expanding access to the world's most dynamic markets is essential to building a form of integration that meets the region's needs.
CTV News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Interpol takes Canadian anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson off its most-wanted list
In this May 23, 2012 file picture Paul Watson, founder and President of the animal rights and environmental group Sea Shepherd Conservation takes part in a demonstration against the Costa Rican government near Germany's Presidential residence during a visit of Costa Rica's president Laura Chinchilla in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
Associated Press
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
IOC Welcomes Recognition of Sport as a Tool for Gender Equality and Empowerment in Declaration Adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women
International Olympic Committee news The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has welcomed the Political Declaration adopted unanimously by the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York, reaffirming the importance of sport as a vehicle for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. As stated in paragraph 11 of the declaration, UN Member States 'also recognize the contributions of all women and girls, including adolescent girls, to their societies, and the opportunities to strengthen these contributions in decision making processes, and as agents of change as well as ensuring their equal access to safe, accessible and affordable digital technology and to inclusive and equitable quality education, including physical education and sports, and promote life-long learning as well as access to health-care services and to empower them and fulfill all their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and end all forms of violence and discrimination against them.' This acknowledgment builds upon a strong history of the CSW consistently recognising the contribution of sport to gender equality. The transformative power of sport in accelerating gender equality Speaking at a high-level ministerial roundtable organised by the Mission of Qatar, IOC Member Laura Chinchilla underlined the transformative power of sport in accelerating gender equality and social development. She urged Member States to engage more strongly with the sports sector for the advancement of social development of women and girls. Participating in sports helps women and girls complete education, gain skills, and boost their economic contribution. Since 1995, sport has been repeatedly recognised by UN Member States as a powerful enabler of gender equality. This was reaffirmed yesterday, in the CSW69 Political Declaration. Laura ChinchillaIOC Member Highlighting the efforts of the IOC and the Olympic Movement to close gender gaps on and off the field of play, her address also reaffirmed ongoing collaboration with public authorities, the UN, development banks, the private sector and civil society to promote the social development of women by enhancing safe and inclusive access to sport. Chinchilla also highlighted the economic potential of sport, noting that the sector has grown by over 5 per cent annually for the past two decades and is projected to continue expanding. Chinchilla noted that despite these proven benefits, sport remains an underutilised tool in many government policies. She called upon policymakers to collaborate with the sports movement to invest in safe, equal and inclusive sporting opportunities for women and girls, and emphasised that governments have a unique opportunity to leverage sport as a cost-effective tool for the development of women and girls, supported by development financing institutions. Recognising the role of sport in advancing sustainable development Since 1995, sport has been referenced in multiple policy documents pertaining to the rights of women and girls, notably the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Beijing+5, and past Agreed Conclusions of the CSW. These documents have repeatedly emphasised the role of sport in fostering leadership, economic empowerment and social inclusion for women and girls. The inclusion of sport in the CSW69 Political Declaration marks another milestone in the ongoing recognition of its role in sustainable development. As governments, international organisations and stakeholders continue to advance gender equality, sport remains a powerful catalyst for positive change worldwide. Gathered at the UN Headquarters from 10 to 21 March, participants in this year's CSW will take part in a series of meetings and discussions looking back on the developments since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration in 1995, and looking forward to the Second World Summit on Social Development – due to be held in Doha from 4 to 6 November 2025. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from International Olympic Committee
