New York, 23 September 2026
The Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) met today in New York to reaffirm their strategic partnership, advance cooperation in multilateral fora, and address pressing global and regional challenges. Tackling transnational organised crime, which is a shared priority, remains central to their joint commitment to building a safer, more resilient future.
The meeting, the third held in this format, was co-chaired by H.E. Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and H.E. Mario Lubetkin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, in his capacity as pro tempore President of CELAC. Participants included Jozef Síkela, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships; Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality; Preparedness and Crisis Management; members of the CELAC troika, Omar Bula, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, and Alva Baptiste, Minister for External Affairs of Saint Lucia; and Foreign Ministers and representatives from EU Member States and CELAC countries.
Reaffirming that EU-CELAC relations are founded on shared history, values, and principles including democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the Ministers voiced concern over growing threats to these foundations. They pledged to uphold these principles collectively, recognising their critical role in global stability, prosperity, in full respect of international law. EU and CELAC recognise that transnational organised crime undermines security and development. The Ministers stressed the need for a coordinated and comprehensive approach to challenges that both EU and CELAC face, for which all relevant authorities and stakeholders need to engage. They acknowledge the importance of maritime security and freedom of navigation, recognising the interconnected nature of security threats facing Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. They pledged to strengthen cooperation through multilateral initiatives, including for information sharing.
Against the backdrop of persisting geopolitical tensions, the Ministers reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to multilateralism, true to the universal purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the rules-based international order. They underscored the need for a strong and effective United Nations that delivers across its three interlinked pillars of peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. They stressed the need to translate commitments into action, taking into account the Pact for the Future and the UN80 initiative, to increase the representativity, effectiveness and responsiveness of the multilateral system. They committed to collaborative action to ensure the multilateral system remains inclusive, accountable, and fit for purpose.
The Ministers underlined the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the need for peaceful settlement of disputes. They discussed the need for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, across the Middle East, and the return to stability in Haiti, in line with international law. The EU expressed solidarity with the people of Venezuela and Colombia affected by the devastating earthquakes, offering continuous support during the emergency response and in the recovery ahead.
The Ministers highlighted progress in trade and investment, as well as the development and potential of the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda. They reaffirmed that security, stability, and the rule of law are indispensable for sustainable investment and inclusive growth, and committed to fair, transparent, and mutually beneficial economic partnerships.
The Ministers welcomed the progress achieved in the EU-CELAC initiatives since the November 2025 CELAC-EU Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, and endorsed the bi-regional Roadmap, which will guide joint efforts to deepen cooperation for the benefit of citizens and businesses across both regions. This Roadmap translates the 2025 Summit Joint Declaration into forward looking actions in key areas such as: trade and investment, food security and disaster preparedness, combating transnational crime, a secure, human-centred approach to digital transformation and AI, environmental, social, and energy transitions, and people-to-people exchanges. Ministers also took note of the progress on the bi-regional Pact on Care.
The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to expand cooperation on EU-funded initiatives in areas such as drug policy, organised crime prevention, and border security, while strengthening collaboration with European law enforcement and judicial agencies to boost operational capacities and bi-regional coordination. They also took note of the progress under the EU-LAC Alliance for Citizen Security and on the AMERIPOL treaty, and urged stronger bilateral and regional law enforcement cooperation.
Looking ahead to 2027, the Ministers welcomed the momentum from regular high-level engagements, including Summits and sectoral meetings, such as the first EU-CELAC Ministerial on Research and Innovation and annual Interior Ministers’ dialogues, with further meetings planned ahead of the 2027 EU-CELAC Summit in Brussels. Ministers underlined the essential role of civil society including the business community in advancing the EU-CELAC partnership, and the EU-LAC Foundation’s valuable work in deepening bi-regional ties.
Read the statement in Spanish here: https://link.europa.eu/TPw9DQ
Source – EEAS
Opening remarks by HR/VP Kaja Kallas for the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly High-level Week
New York, 23 September 2026
It is a real pleasure to welcome you all here this early morning. Welcome to the EU Delegation. It is good to see so many ministers around the table.
We have actually 40 ministers from both regions, which shows how important our cooperation really is.
And this is the third EU-CELAC ministerial meeting. Three can already be said it’s a tradition. So I hope that we continue this format during UNGA week in the future.
And we have a solid basis:
- The EU is CELAC, Latin America’s third largest trade partner;
- our bilateral trade has increased 62% over the past decade;
- Our extensive network of EU trade agreements covers 97% of regional GDP.
We are among the closest partners in the world, in all our diversity. We are bound by a shared history, common values, and overlapping interests. We speak each other’s languages. We share a commitment to multilateralism as the only path to tackle challenges no single region can solve alone.
This week, the world’s attention is rightly focused on crises and conflicts. But together we also demonstrate that cooperation and partnership among 60 countries – one-third of the United Nations- still delivers.
The EU´s engagement is both broad and deep. We invest with you, open economic opportunities for you and are here to support you in time of crisis, including natural disasters. And my colleagues, Josef and Hadja, are also here to underscore the importance of this vital partnership in terms of cooperation and humanitarian support.
Today, we will endorse our joint Roadmap. This is a collective plan of action to deepen our partnership where it matters most:
- Defence of shared values and multilateralism;
- Strengthening security and combating organised crime;
- Advancing green, digital, and just transitions.
Let’s put our words into action and make sure the future is safer and more prosperous for our 1.12 billion citizens.
Thank you.
Source – EEAS