The Foreign Ministers of MERCOSUR (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and the recently incorporated Bolivia) agreed this Wednesday (24.01.2024/XNUMX/XNUMX) in Asunción on the priorities for action – both internally and in its external relations – to be managed during the first half of this year.
Among the issues to be promoted by Paraguay – country in office of the President pro tempore of MERCOSUR-, the following stand out: the strengthening of the integration process, the development of physical integration and the external negotiations, with a view to "achieving concrete results" for the benefit of the regional bloc, according to a statement released.
Along these lines, the foreign ministers pointed out that "it will be a priority" to conclude the pending aspects of the negotiations with the European Union and achieve the signing of “a balanced agreement” for both parties as “soon as possible.”
They also agreed to continue the negotiation process with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) to finalize the "prompt signing" of the Trade Agreement with MERCOSUR.
For Paraguay, the priority will be to boost negotiations with United Arab Emirates for a trade agreement.
The Ministers also agreed on the role of logistics and multimodal transport for the competitiveness of the bloc's foreign trade, highlighting in this regard the importance of the Santa Cruz de la Sierra Agreement that establishes the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway as an axis of development and regional integration.
The Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Mauro Vieira, of Argentina, Diana Mondino, of Uruguay, Omar Paganini, and of Bolivia, Celinda Sosa, a country in the process of formally joining MERCOSUR, participated in the first meeting of the year.
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