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Estonia sees liberalization of Europe's economic relations with countries of Latin America and the Caribbean as important for promoting economic growth, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said at a foreign ministers meeting of the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
«The less limitations and restrictions there are, the better the opportunities for economic growth,» Paet was quoted by spokespeople as saying during the meeting in the Chilean capital Santiago.
The minister described developing and using of novel solutions and technologies as very important and said that various e-solutions and IT solutions were conducive to economic growth in the broadest sense. «Estonia is prepared to share its experience in developing e-governance and IT also with interested countries in Latin America,» said Paet.
The minister said that as a fresh member of the United Nations Human Rights Council Estonia considers cooperation with Latin American countries and countries of the Caribbean for improving the human rights situation in the world as important, just like it attaches importance to joint activities with the region's countries that are now members of the UN Human Rights Council together with Estonia, such as Brazil, for instance. «The priorities of Estonia – gender equality and promoting the rights of women – are essential for progress in all countries,» he added.
The purpose of the EU-CELAC summit is to intensify relations between the two regions and step up cooperation in investments, sustainable development, economic growth, security, and quality of the living environment. The heads of state and heads of government are to sign a Santiago declaration that will set out the next objectives as well as an action plan concerning the strategic partnership.
Prior to the summit of 2013, summits of EU and Latin American and Caribbean countries have taken place on six occasions since 1999.