(Reuters, 27 Sep 2009) The two-day summit on Venezuela's sweltering Margarita island, in the Caribbean, came right after the U.N. General Assembly and the G20 summit and was intended as a counterpoint to Western dominance of global institutions. "We have to construct a new alliance, discover opportunities and help ourselves mutually," Lula said, summing up the central theme of speeches by the 28 leaders present. On specifics, Mugabe and Chavez proposed greater cooperation on exploitation of resources like minerals and oil.... Libya was nominated to host the next ASA summit in 2011. Paying his first visit to the Americas, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi -- in power for four decades -- has been holding court in a tent at the summit hotel and gave a fiery speech on Saturday saying a small club of major powers were still trying to run the world on their terms.
"We have to construct a new alliance, discover opportunities and help ourselves mutually," Lula said, summing up the central theme of speeches by the 28 leaders present.
On specifics, Mugabe and Chavez proposed greater cooperation on exploitation of resources like minerals and oil....
Libya was nominated to host the next ASA summit in 2011.
Paying his first visit to the Americas, Libya's Muammar Gaddafi -- in power for four decades -- has been holding court in a tent at the summit hotel and gave a fiery speech on Saturday saying a small club of major powers were still trying to run the world on their terms.
(AllAfrica, 25 Sep 2009) The first to arrive at Isla Margarita were Presidents Mamadou Tandja of Niger and Tabaré Vázquez of Uruguay. But the spotlight was hogged by Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi, current chair of the African Union, on his first visit to Latin America. In New York, Gaddafi was not allowed to set up his traditional Bedouin-style tent. But he has been permitted to do on the grounds of the Hilton Hotel on Isla Margarita. A source with the summit organisers said Gaddafi would not actually sleep in the tent, but would stay in a hotel room, while several of his advisers and officials would occupy the tent.... Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramírez pointed out Friday that Africa and South America together have one quarter of the world's energy resources, counting the oil and natural gas reserves of Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela and those of Algeria, Angola, Libya, Nigeria, Chad, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Algeria, Angola, Libya, Ecuador and Venezuela are all members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), but their energy agreements have not gone beyond the accords negotiated within the oil cartel.
In New York, Gaddafi was not allowed to set up his traditional Bedouin-style tent. But he has been permitted to do on the grounds of the Hilton Hotel on Isla Margarita.
A source with the summit organisers said Gaddafi would not actually sleep in the tent, but would stay in a hotel room, while several of his advisers and officials would occupy the tent....
Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramírez pointed out Friday that Africa and South America together have one quarter of the world's energy resources, counting the oil and natural gas reserves of Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela and those of Algeria, Angola, Libya, Nigeria, Chad, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Algeria, Angola, Libya, Ecuador and Venezuela are all members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), but their energy agreements have not gone beyond the accords negotiated within the oil cartel.
(Tehran Times (Bloomberg), 28 Sep 2009) Lula and Chavez are competing for popularity and influence across Latin America, and the contest has extended to other parts of the world such as Africa, said Riordan Roett, director of Western Hemisphere Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. `Quiet diplomacy' "Chavez's approach is of the moment, to capture headlines," Roett said in a telephone interview. "Brazil has been engaging in pragmatic ties, through quiet diplomacy." This is the second South America-Africa Summit. The first was held in 2006 in Abuja, Nigeria. Chavez has used regional summits to make rhetorical arguments about increased "south-south" cooperation, Roett said. The summit isn't likely to cause concern for the U.S., he said.
`Quiet diplomacy'
"Chavez's approach is of the moment, to capture headlines," Roett said in a telephone interview. "Brazil has been engaging in pragmatic ties, through quiet diplomacy."
This is the second South America-Africa Summit. The first was held in 2006 in Abuja, Nigeria.
Chavez has used regional summits to make rhetorical arguments about increased "south-south" cooperation, Roett said. The summit isn't likely to cause concern for the U.S., he said.
(France24, 26 Sep 2009) "We don't want this to be just another summit, we want it to lay the path for the next 10 years," the firebrand leftist leader said from New York, where he attended the United Nations General Assembly. The Venezuela summit is also likely to feature tirades launched at the United States and other global powers, as well as Chavez's recurring arguments about the failures of capitalism.... The leaders are also set to discuss drug trafficking, a long-standing problem in South America, and a new concern for countries in west Africa. The African Union has expressed concern that west Africa is becoming a new route for drugs to enter Europe, and insisted the issue be discussed at the summit. While the presence of cocaine in west Africa remains pales [sic?!] in comparison to some other regions, seizures have increased seven-fold in the last decade, to 5.5 tonnes in 2007, according the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Drug labs capable of producing ecstasy, cocaine and heroin have been uncovered in countries like Guinea, and officials are concerned the problem could grow. "Faced with stricter enforcement in Europe, in the Schengen zone, South American traffickers prefer to take the African route to get small amounts of cocaine to the European market," said Gilles Sabatier, interior security attache to the French ambassador to Venezuela.
The Venezuela summit is also likely to feature tirades launched at the United States and other global powers, as well as Chavez's recurring arguments about the failures of capitalism....
The leaders are also set to discuss drug trafficking, a long-standing problem in South America, and a new concern for countries in west Africa. The African Union has expressed concern that west Africa is becoming a new route for drugs to enter Europe, and insisted the issue be discussed at the summit.
While the presence of cocaine in west Africa remains pales [sic?!] in comparison to some other regions, seizures have increased seven-fold in the last decade, to 5.5 tonnes in 2007, according the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Drug labs capable of producing ecstasy, cocaine and heroin have been uncovered in countries like Guinea, and officials are concerned the problem could grow.
"Faced with stricter enforcement in Europe, in the Schengen zone, South American traffickers prefer to take the African route to get small amounts of cocaine to the European market," said Gilles Sabatier, interior security attache to the French ambassador to Venezuela.
The document was signed by Luis Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Cristina Fernandez of Argentina, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Tabare Vasquez of Uruguay, Fernando Lugo of Paraguay, Evo Morales of Bolivia and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. It was unclear how much each country would contribute, but under the previous $7 billion figure announced in May, Argentina, Venezuela and Brazil were to have each pledged $2 billion, while Uruguay, Ecuador, Paraguay and Bolivia were to have chipped in smaller amounts.
It was unclear how much each country would contribute, but under the previous $7 billion figure announced in May, Argentina, Venezuela and Brazil were to have each pledged $2 billion, while Uruguay, Ecuador, Paraguay and Bolivia were to have chipped in smaller amounts.
(BIC, 28 Sep 2009)Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela will raise their contribution levels to the Bank of the South to 4 billion dollars each. The bank's incorporation charter was signed yesterday by seven South American governors. Source: La República Sept 27, 2009 To read the full article, click here.
Source: La República Sept 27, 2009 To read the full article, click here.
backstory, Guyana Journal, 2006 Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
The two-day summit on Venezuela's SWELTERING Margarita island, in the Caribbean,
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
When I encountered similar temperatures in Africa, my hosts insisted that I at least bring a jacket. Because it could get even colder later in the evening, sometimes down to a chilling 20C at night (which would be a fairly warm summer night in Sweden).
So I think the delegates will be alright. I guess the meeting rooms all are air-conditioned anyway. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
