Santo Domingo (EFE) .- The King of Spain, Felipe VI, culminated this Friday a day full of events prior to the official start of the XXVIII Ibero-American Summit in Santo Domingo, in which he recalled the challenges facing the region, and advocated a strengthening of relations between countries and with the European Union (EU).
The Spanish monarch had a busy schedule, with bilateral meetings, such as the one he held with the president of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, and that of the Dominican Republic, the host country of the summit, Luis Abinader.
He also met with a representation of young Ibero-American leaders, with whom he talked about the future of the region and participated in an act of support for the Ibero-American Disability Program, aimed at the inclusion of this sector of citizens that represents about 15% of the Latin American population.
Felipe VI was later at the closing of the XIV Ibero-American Business Meeting, in the port of Sansouci in Santo Domingo, together with President Abinader and the leaders of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso; Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, and the Ibero-American Secretary General, the Chilean Andrés Allamand.
In his speech, the King of Spain encouraged to “continue strengthening” the links between the Ibero-American countries to “take advantage of all the opportunities together” offered by this space, a “great project that requires a common strategic vision and the greatest commitment of all ”.
The challenges facing the region “justify, even more if possible, the need for this type of meeting to share the concerns that affect our societies and thus seek recommendations that lead us to implement joint measures”, said.
And in order to overcome these challenges, the monarch highlighted the importance of the Spanish presidency of the European Union in the second half of the year.
He also highlighted the holding of the EU-CELAC summit, in July in Brussels, “in which a portfolio of strategic investment projects for the region will be presented that will have the support of the EU and its member states.”
In addition, among the priorities of the Spanish presidency of the EU, he indicated support and greater impetus for the signing of pending bilateral agreements whose objective is to liberalize trade and establish a framework for strategic relations between the EU and Latin America.
Among these agreements, the Spanish monarch referred to the Global Agreement with Mexico and the Association Agreement with Chile with Central America and with Mercosur.
After closing the Ibero-American Business Meeting, Felipe VI was received along with the rest of the Summit participants by the Dominican President, his wife, the first lady Raquel Arbijos, and Allamand at the foot of the Ozama fortress, the first permanent military structure from America.
The official inauguration of the regional meeting took place in this historic environment, which tomorrow will have its most important day with the celebration of the plenary sessions.
The Spanish monarch’s day concluded with a dinner for Heads of State and Government at Casa de Bastidas, in the colonial zone of Santo Domingo, a historic building whose construction dates back to the 15th century.
Tomorrow Saturday, after the plenary sessions and the official closing of the Summit, he will hold a bilateral meeting with the President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves, before flying back to Spain.
This is the fifth Ibero-American Summit in which Felipe VI participates as king.