Maiara Folly, the executive director of Plataforma CIPÓ, was one of those interviewed by the Brasil de Fato newspaper regarding the South America Summit. The meeting of heads of state took place at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasília and was attended by the top representatives of the 12 countries on the continent.
Although the resulting document from the Summit consisted of only nine paragraphs and was considered a “vague and brief” declaration, Folly emphasized that the the document is a first step in the identification of strategic areas where cooperation can be enhanced, such as the environment, health, the fight against organized crime, and regional infrastructure.
According to her, the most concrete aspect of the Summit was the leaders’ commitment to meet again in the future and the desire to develop a roadmap to guide the regional cooperation agenda in South America.
“There is an agreement among South American nations that it is important to maintain some levels of coordination. Considering the current political moment we are in – and upcoming elections in countries like Argentina, which may alter the current political landscape – these channels of regional cooperation may become less institutionalized and more technical.”
Brasil de Fato: CIPÓ addresses outcomes of the South American Summit
