Guatemala City, by AGN. – On September 20, at the 77th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, United States, President Alejandro Giammattei held a bilateral meeting with his Serbian peer, Aleksandar Vučić.
Among the topics discussed were scholarship programs, agriculture, industry, exports, and culture, as well as the condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Moreover, President Giammattei greeted the President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, with whom he discussed the friendship ties and cooperation between the two nations.
Later that day, the Guatemalan president spoke with the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili. Guatemala and Georgia have maintained diplomatic relations since April 27, 2010.
Bilateral Meetings
On Monday, September 19, the Guatemalan president held bilateral meetings. Among these was the historic encounter with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for the first time in 148 years of diplomatic relations.
President Giammattei mentioned that the topics discussed were technological cooperation and strengthening business ties.
He also mentioned, “We established lines of communication to strengthen economic ties and improve the trade balance. There is a lot of interest from Turkish companies to invest in Guatemala.”
He also met with the President of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez. In this meeting, they addressed issues on the common agenda regarding investment, trade, and economy in agriculture and livestock, “which will greatly benefit both nations,” he said.
During this workday, he also spoke with Joseph Borrell, the European Union’s foreign affairs and security policy representative.
“We greatly admire his strong stance in support of Ukraine. Your leadership has transcended from Latin America to all of Europe. Your voice is admirable,” said Borrell to the Guatemalan president.
Speeches
President Giammattei also participated in the Transforming Education Summit, a space in which there was a dialogue on the challenges of the education systems of the nations, as well as the common agenda to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
“I am convinced that education must be transformed to develop students’ skills and values to perform in a rapidly changing world. Education is the tool to build fair, equitable, and peaceful societies,” he said.
Additionally, he highlighted the actions of the government of Guatemala in helping the student population during the COVID-19 emergency. Among the work is School Feeding, I Learn at Home and in Class programs, and the School Health Insurance.
A Call for World Peace
At the Atlantic Council meeting, the president asked everyone to raise their voice to privilege diplomacy.The resolution of the conflict derived from “the illegal, unjustified, and unprovoked invasion of the sovereign territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.”
He also reiterated his solidarity with the people and government of Ukraine, recalling his visit to that nation, he said, “I witnessed the horrors of this confrontation, which has caused pain and devastation.”
