The Pacific Alliance —an integration scheme comprising Peru, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico— has become an essential tool to contribute to these countries' development, Foreign Affairs Minister Nestor Popolizio pointed out.
According to the diplomat, regional integration generates concrete benefits for the population and paves the way for expanding trade and investment, as well as for entering global production chains.
"Within that perspective, the
Pacific Alliance is the most dynamic integration process in Latin America," Popolizio said in an article published Saturday on El Comercio local newspaper.
Statements were made upon the celebration of the seventh anniversary of said integration mechanism.
Popolizio recalled that
Chile,
Colombia,
Mexico, and
Peru leaders met on 28 April 2011 to create a bloc based on common values of democracy and rule of law, as well as on market economy promotion and free trade.
As he stated, the Peruvian proposal to create this alliance sought to promote citizens' welfare through close cooperation between member countries' private sector and governments so as to build an integration area to move towards free movement of goods, services, capital, and people.
"The alliance has eased the increase in commercial exchange among its members, but the task of increasing it in more significant proportions remains pending. (...) The integration process' main goal is to create more effective advancement opportunities for citizens," he said.
The Pacific Alliance's international projection is illustrated by its relation with more than 50 observer-states and regional blocs, the minister added.
Some of them, he explained, are the
European Union, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (
APEC), Mercosur, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
It must be noted Peru will assume the Pacific Alliance presidency in July.
(END) MVF/RMB
Published: 4/29/2018