Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Ricardo Luna affirmed the inclusion of Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Canada as Associate States of the Pacific Alliance (PA) is a big step forward as it will raise development standards of the trade bloc.
Negotiations to incorporate the newly-admitted PA Associate States will kick off in Lima on September 5-6.
"This year's biggest achievement was to establish the terms of high-quality agreements with countries outside the region, which are more developed than the Pacific Alliance founding members," he told local RPP TV and radio station.
Ten countries held the observer status a few years ago, he said, but now the Alliance includes 50 observer nations.
According to the Peruvian diplomat, the
newly-admitted countries experienced precarious situations before achieving development with social inclusion.
Luna recalled the Pacific Alliance was established six years ago and that its member countries – Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru— share similar characteristics, both economically and socially speaking.
"Besides, it [the
Pacific Alliance] stands apart from other similar organizations with permanent secretaries and other mechanisms that, given their bureaucratic structure, delay the process," he assured.
(END) JCC/SMA/RMB
Published: 7/1/2017