Former President Fernández opens the Arab-Latin American Forum

Former President Fernández opens the Arab-Latin American Forum
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,December 18, 2012

The former President of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Leonel Fernández, delivered the key note address on Sunday during the opening of the International Arab-Latin American Forum, which is taking place in this city with the participation of representatives of several Middle Eastern and Latin American countries.

“With a population of nearly 900 million people and an economy of approximately US$10 billion, it is necessary, in the Arab world and in Latin America and the Caribbean, to address common issues of a political, economic, social, environmental, transport, energy and technology nature,” he stated.

In the framework of this international event, which analyzes the economic and commercial opportunities as the basis of the new Arab-Latin American partnership, the Center for Arab, Latin America and Caribbean Relations (CARLAC) was formed. This initiative is endorsed by Abu Dhabi.

Fernández, who is also President of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD for its acronym in Spanish) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), noted that, today, more than 20 million Arabs or people of Arab descent live in Latin America and the Caribbean, thus becoming the largest international Arab diaspora.

“With a population of nearly 900 million people and an economy of approximately US$10 billion, it is necessary, in the Arab world and in Latin America and the Caribbean, to address common issues of a political, economic, social, environmental, transport, energy and technology nature,” he stated.

The former Dominican President also indicated that the Forum that opened this past Sunday represents an initial effort to move in that direction, with a view to deepen and strengthen a partnership which, according to him, has huge potential and great opportunities.

The former Head of State said that after holding various conferences, roundtables and seminars to raise awareness in Latin America and the Caribbean on the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and the current situation in the Arab world, “now we move at a higher level.”

He explained that the Arab-Latin America and the Caribbean Council (CARLAC) is intended to provide continuity to the Forum and to develop a plan of action that can serve as a roadmap for future meetings between representatives of the countries of both regions.

He added that CARLAC shall be governed by a Board of Directors composed by personalities of the two regions and will work closely with the newly created Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Jordan, with Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) and a network of Middle Eastern and Latin American institutions, including universities, business associations, chambers of commerce and civil society organizations.

Similarly, the former Dominican President reported that, as a result of a conference on Arab integration and infrastructure within a globalized environment, a meeting between associations of Arab and Latin American universities is being organized.

In this regard, Fernández said that this meeting is intended to reflect on and discuss the quality of higher education, university rankings, the contents of the curriculum, international accreditation and the best way to train our workforces in accordance with the most stringent international standards.

In turn, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the United Arab Emirates, who also spoke during the opening ceremony of the Forum, stressed the importance of continuing efforts to increase the partnerships between Latin America and the Middle East.

“The organization of this Forum is a very important thing and it reflects the need for our countries to strengthen relations between the Arab world and Latin America,” he said.

He argued that the advancement of these inter-regional relationships requires effective organizations and the involvement of all sectors, both at the government and private levels. For the Arab official, Latin America and the Middle East are two major regions with booming economic growth.

“We know that cooperation between both sides is a necessary and timely thing; it will be constructive for various parts of the world,” proclaimed Mabarak Al Nahayan, who expressed optimism about the efforts that are being directed toward that end.

In addition, the official stressed the momentum that Arab immigrants have provided to the development of Latin America, and noted that these contributions can be increased significantly with the steps that are currently underway.

Following in the same vein, Sheikh Mabarak Al Nahayan spoke of the importance of exploring the opportunities for exports and investments in those two regions of the world, in order to strengthen development and further improving the quality of life of the people.

This Arab-Latin American Forum in Abu Dhabi was attend by important representatives of both regions of the world, including Guatemala’s former President Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo; Abdel Rahman, CEO and general coordinator of the Arab-Latin American Forum; and Saudi economist Abdullah al-Kuwaiz.

Similarly, it was attended by entrepreneur Rolando González-Bunster, President of InterEnergy Holdings; and Khalid Ghanem Al Ghaith, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Economy of the United Arab Emirates; Gustavo Cisneros, Chairman of the Cisneros Group of Venezuela; Mohammad Halaika, former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of Jordan; and Osvaldo Rosales, Director of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), among many others.


Dr. Leonel Fernández, Dr. Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, Vice President of the Republic, andSheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the United Arab Emirates.