Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

I am very pleased to greet and congratulate President Ricardo Martinelli for the excellent organization of this XXIII Iberian American Summit and for the timely choice of the topic for our meeting: “The Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Role of the Iberian American Community in the new global context”.

I thank you, Mister President, for the warmth and friendship with which we were welcomed by your authorities and by the Panamanian People.

Please also allow me a prior word addressed to His Majesty, King D. Juan Carlos of Spain, who was unable to join us here today, wishing him a swift recovery. Equally, best wishes for the improvement in the health of the Argentinean President.

I take part in this Summit with the certainty that this continues being, as it has always been, a privileged opportunity for discussion and sharing of particularly enriching experiences. History links each one of our Counties, and these encounters are no more than the political confirmation of our commitment to project our secular relations into the future.

This year, we are proposing to discuss and adopt decisions towards the renewal of the Iberian American process, to better adjust it to the challenges the future is unfolding. The Panama Summit will thus become linked to the restoration of the Iberian American Conference. I am sure that, such as in Guadalajara, in 1991 – which I had the honour to attend – we are writing history today and designing the future of the Iberian American relationship.

While doing this, we must have present the spirit of Guadalajara and the commitments we then assumed: the defence of democratic values and of our citizens’ rights, and the promotion of the well being and of the economic and social development of our peoples.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On both sides of the Atlantic, our societies have been experiencing the effects of the financial, economic and confidence crisis, unleashed in 2008.

In Europe – in spite of the recent positive signs in the reversal of the economic cycle – it will be necessary to pursue the correction of the financial imbalances, recovering a trajectory of sustainable growth and giving priority to measures for creating employment.

In its turn, Latin America continues showing significant economic growth rates. In spite of a moderation in its rhythm, estimates indicate a 3% average growth rate in 2013, to be strengthened in 2014.

This economic dynamism, generally associated to an environment of political, security and juridical stability, as well as providing incentives towards private investment, is doubtlessly a sign of hope and also represents, as far as Europe is concerned, a potential for mutually beneficial business opportunities.

The countries that comprise the Iberian American Community jointly represent approximately 11 per cent of the world gross product. It is thus clear that we are a cultural and geographic community with a somewhat meaningful economic weight.

A stronger relationship amongst the countries making up the Iberian American Community must be a priority, in order to obtain the best advantages from the still unused trade and investment potential.

Europe continues one of the main trading partners of Latin America. The number of already existing trade agreements between several Latin American countries and Europe, and the future agreement with Mercosur, will strengthen still better the relevance and the uniqueness of our relationship.

The ongoing processes of political and economic integration in Latin America – the Pacific Alliance, Mercosur, the Andean Pact or others with the same nature – are appropriate means for the removal of trade and administrative barriers which are stilll in force nowadays and that inhibit the potential advantages of our relationship.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I had the honour, yesterday, to meet with President Martinelli and, with some of you, to take part in the closure of the Iberian American Entrepreneurial Seminar. The very expressive number and weight of its participants is a sign of the interest in searching for business opportunities that exist amongst our entrepreneurs. It is our duty, as politically responsible officers, to create the conditions and strengthen the already existing institutional bases to better take advantage of this entrepreneurial dynamism.

I must underline, in this context, the strategic importance that the completion of the enlargement works of the Panama Canal has for Europe and, particularly, for Portugal. Panama, and of course Latin America, through strengthening its central position in the international trade routes, will provide its potential vis-à-vis Europe and the World.

Portugal, and particularly the excellent deep water Sines port, will reinforce its position as a logistic platform to access the European markets.

Allow me thus, to reaffirm what I stated last year in Cadiz: Latin America is, nowadays, an important driving force of the world economy. I have emphasized this message whenever I meet with political leaders inserted in other settings, as was the case, in effect, last week in Krakow, Poland, where I held meetings with other European Heads of State.

Mister President Martinelli,

I reiterate my thanks for your flawless guidance of the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Iberian American Summit throughout this year.

And may I now request, Mister President Martinelli, that you allow the Prime Minister to complete the intervention of the Portuguese delegation.