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Almost one year after the EU-CELAC Summit and the launch of the European Union's Global Gateway Investment Agenda (GGIA) in Latin America and the Caribbean, representatives of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance Member States met in Madrid (Spain) on July 9 to review the achievements, lessons learned, and challenges in implementing the Agenda.

The "Second Overview Meeting of the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda" was held at the Casa de América and was attended by high-level authorities from both regions. Participants included Alicia Varela Donoso, Director General for International Trade and Investment of the Government of Spain; Félix Fernández-Shaw, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Directorate General for International Partnerships (DG-INTPA) of the European Union (EU); and Luis Eliécer Cadenas, Executive Director of RedCLARA, who spoke on the panel "The Investment Agenda for an Inclusive Digital Transition: Examples of private sector projects and experiences."

Miguel Exposito Verdejo, Deputy Head of Unit of the DG-INTPA, moderate the panel. The other participants were Mathilde Maur, Director of Global Policies and International Affairs of Nokia; Ana Luisa Valero Huete, Director of Public Policies of Telefónica; and Ignacio Sanchis, Commercial Director of HISPASAT.

During his presentation, Cadenas highlighted the efforts made by both regions to implement the BELLA Programme and the achievements of this initiative in reducing the digital divide and supporting the development of the necessary infrastructure to consolidate and expand a regional digital ecosystem of science, technology, education, and innovation. "BELLA is a consortium in which Latin American and European participants have joined forces and worked together to address the long-term interconnectivity needs of the European and Latin American research and education communities," explained Cadenas.

The first phase of the BELLA Programme secured spectrum rights for the first direct submarine cable between the two regions complemented by RedCLARA terrestrial fiber optic network infrastructure. This strengthened a ring of connectivity between Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, and Colombia, allowing for the potential activation or connection to other academic networks. BELLA II aims to extend these achievements to as many countries in the region as possible, starting with Central America and the Caribbean.

The aim of BELLA II is to help reduce the digital divide and consolidate the regional digital ecosystem, enabling relationships and exchanges between companies, research centres, educational institutions, and national research and education networks. These efforts are in line with the strategic objectives of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Europe in the fields of in education, science, technology, and innovation. "From my perspective, this is one of the most successful projects we have undertaken in the framework of strategic relationship between the two continents, made possible by the investment contributions of partners such as the European Union (EU)," said the Director.

The EU's Global Gateway Investment Agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean focuses on potential projects that, like BELLA, meet the needs of the region, create local value, and promote growth, employment, and social cohesion. It represents a political commitment to work together to identify opportunities for green and fair digital investment in Latin America and the Caribbean, leveraging the open environment provided by trade and investment agreements, and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information on the GGIA, please visit:  https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/eu-lac-global-gateway-investment-agenda_es#x

For more information on the BELLA Programme, please visit: https://www.bella-programme.eu