Guatemala City, by Brenda Larios -AGN.- The Government of Guatemala received the pro tempore presidency of the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean -AILAC- today. It is a formal negotiating group within the United Nations Convention on Climate Change framework. The Government of Costa Rica will hand over the presidency, which it held for the past six months.
AILAC members are Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Peru, Honduras, Panama, and Paraguay. Its main objective is to generate coordinated, innovative, and viable positions, contributing to the balance of multilateral climate change negotiations. The organization focuses on losses and damages, adaptation, global balance, climate funding, and technological transference.
Assuming the Presidency
Guatemala now assumes the presidency under the leadership of the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of Guatemala -MARN-, in close coordination with the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
This designation will serve as a platform to present the unified position of the AILAC countries at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP28.
The conference will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 12, and Guatemala will represent the collective voice of AILAC countries.
During the presidential handover ceremony of AILAC, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Environment represented Guatemala. The representatives of Costa Rica were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arnoldo Andrée Tinoco, and the Minister of Environment and Energy, Franz Tattenbach. The other AILAC member countries were represented by their ambassadors.
In his speech, the Guatemalan Foreign Minister stated that the country assumes this pro tempore presidency with total commitment to continue taking urgent and ambitious actions to address climate change.
“Climate change is a dangerous multiplier of risks, exacerbating humanitarian crises, conflicts, and instability, especially in fragile situations where governments have limited means to help their populations adapt.” the minister stated.
Reiterated Commitment
Representatives of the Guatemalan government reiterated their clear and strong message to COP28 during this presidency. Their objective is to advocate for climate action and the effective implementation of commitments made in the Paris Agreement.
The Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed: “We will strive to maintain the conciliatory spirit and ambition that has always characterized AILAC in its negotiations with different groups to reach necessary consensus on various topics to achieve results that translate into the much-needed actions to address the global threat posed by climate change.”
After the ceremony, the working teams of the Guatemalan and Costarican governments held a bilateral meeting. They discussed key issues related to the presidency of the negotiating group and other relevant matters in foreign policy.
By assuming this leadership role, Guatemala positions itself internationally as a committed actor in climate action and sustainable development. This provides opportunities and innovative solutions to build more equitable, resilient, and peaceful societies for current and future generations.
About AILAC
AILAC Caribe results from the search for strategic alliances between countries with similar positions, forming a negotiating group under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Its formal creation occurred in 2012 as a product of an ongoing integration and consolidation process among the member countries. AILAC also emerged from the need to build a defined identity that would provide them with recognition as an increasingly significant actor in climate negotiations.
Article 3 of the AILAC Regulations defines the pro tempore presidency, where each member country holds the position for six months according to the alphabetical rotation order established by the regulations.
Guatemala’s turn to assume the presidency will come in the second half of 2023, during which COP28 will be held.
