New Delhi/Panama City: India and the eight-member SICA grouping of Central American nations will work together on addressing energy and food security, climate change, debt and globalisation challenges, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at the Fourth India-SICA Ministerial meeting in Panama City.
Addressing the gathering, EAM said India will be a ready partner for the Central American Integration System (SICA) grouping in green, digital, health and gender domains.
He also met SICA chief Werner Vargas and said his Appreciated the role of Secretary General of SICA, Werner Vargas at the India-SICA Foreign Ministers Meeting.
In tweets, he said that the SICA chief’s efforts in supporting the fourth India-SICA FMM were commendable. “Agreed to take this forward through a concrete Plan of Action.”
“Participated in the 4th India-SICA Ministerial meeting. Thank host Panama FM @janainagob for the initiative and pro-tempore chair Belize FM Eamon Courteney for co-chairing.”
“Appreciate colleagues Denis Moncada (Nicaragua), @cancillerAleHT (Alexandra Hill Tinoco, El Salvador), Paula Bogantes (Costa Rica), Roberto Úrzua (Guatemala), Cindy Rodriguez (Honduras) and José Gomez (Dominican Republic) for attending.”
“Thank SICA for valuable support at multilateral forums and for forging a strong India-SICA relationship. Agreed to develop a Plan of Action in this regard.”
“As developing nations, we must stand together on issues of development & growth. PM @narendramodi’s Voice of Global South Summit initiative furthered this spirit as India chairs the G20.
“We will work together on addressing energy & food security; climate change; debt and globalisation challenges.
“India will be a ready partner in green, digital, health and gender domains,” EAM tweeted.
SICA in tweets in Spanish said:
“We successfully concluded the Meeting of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Mechanism #SICAIndia, we signed a Joint Communiqué where we agreed to build an Action Plan that allows the presentation of cooperation initiatives on priority issues for Central America.
“Political Dialogue and Cooperation #SICAIndia | We agree to promote joint cooperation initiatives to join efforts in areas such as:
“Food and nutritional safety; Connectivity; Agriculture; Renewable energies; Information technologies; Health, among others.”
The SICA Secretary General in his remarks said: “India is an important benchmark in the field of South-South Cooperation, therefore it is opportune to learn about successful experiences in Latin America and bilaterally with member countries of SICA.”
EAM also met some of the Foreign Ministers separately.
“Met Vice Minister Cindy Rodriguez of Honduras today on SICA Ministerial sidelines.
Agreed that India-SICA partnership offers many possibilities.”
He met the Guatemala Vice Minister:
“Met Guatemala Vice Minister Roberto Úrzua at India-SICA Ministerial.
Sent my best regards to colleague FM @MarioBucaroGT.”
“Nice to meet FM Eamon Courtenay of Belize.
“Value our friendly ties and discussed growing the relationship.”
“Good to meet FM Denis Moncada of Nicaragua on India-SICA FMM sidelines.
Our time-tested friendship advances with practical initiatives. Welcome our strong cooperation at multilateral forums.”
“Great to see El Salvador FM @CancillerAleHT Alexandra Hill Tinoco
. Recall her recent India visit warmly.
“Exchanged views on our development experiences. Agreed that SICA offered a platform to take it forward.”
On Energy and food security, the EAM said:
“Energy and food security are perhaps the two most immediate global challenges that the South faces. But again there are the longer term trends, the priorities which will go beyond food and energy security including those of development, of growth, of trade, of investment, of employment, of poverty deduction.
“And I can assure you that India will be doing more, India is doing more and we would like to see that translated particularly into our particular relationships. I also know that SICA member states have a particular focus on climate change and you are very proud custodians of extraordinary biodiversity. From the Indian perspective I would like to flag two notable initiatives we took, the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure….many of you are members, certainly of the Solar Alliance. I would urge all of you to look, not just look at both of them but also to see how best you can take more advantage of it,” he said.
SICA comprises of the countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, and Belize and Dominican Republic.
