Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)

Context

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is a regional mechanism for political dialogue, cooperation and coordination among the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. It also provides a platform for collective engagement with external partners.

About CELAC

1. CELAC comprises 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
2. It was created on 23^rd  February 2010 at the Latin American and Caribbean Unity Summit in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
3. It was definitively constituted at the Caracas Summit in December 2011 through the Declaration of Caracas.
4. CELAC succeeded the Rio Group and the Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development.
5. Its objectives include regional integration, political cooperation, sustainable development and coordination on issues of common interest.
6. It provides a common regional platform while accommodating the political, economic and social diversity of its members.

Institutional Framework

CELAC functions as an intergovernmental mechanism for dialogue and political agreement, rather than a supranational organisation. Its decisions are based on consensus.

1. Summit of Heads of State and Government: Provides political direction at the highest level.
2. Foreign Ministers and National Coordinators: Facilitate political coordination and follow-up of agreed priorities.
3. Pro Tempore Presidency (PTP): Rotates among member states and coordinates the group’s activities during its term.
4. Specialised meetings: Address specific areas of regional cooperation.

India–CELAC Relations

India’s engagement with CELAC forms part of its wider outreach to Latin America and the Caribbean.

1. The India–CELAC Dialogue was initiated in September 2011 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
2. The First India–CELAC Troika Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in New Delhi on 7 August 2012.
3. The dialogue has addressed bilateral cooperation and regional and multilateral issues.
4. It has also provided scope for expanding trade, investment and economic relations between India and the region.

Significance for India

1. Regional engagement: Provides India with a region-wide channel for engaging with Latin American and Caribbean countries.
2. Economic cooperation: Creates opportunities to deepen trade, investment and commercial partnerships.
3. Multilateral coordination: Facilitates engagement on issues of shared interest in international forums.
4. Global South cooperation: Complements India’s wider engagement with developing countries.

Conclusion

For India, CELAC provides a region-wide platform for engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, complementing bilateral partnerships and strengthening cooperation with the wider Global South.

FAQs

1. What is CELAC?
   CELAC is a 33-member intergovernmental mechanism for political dialogue, cooperation and regional coordination among Latin American and Caribbean countries.
2. When was CELAC established?
   It was created in 2010 and definitively constituted at the Caracas Summit in December 2011 through the Declaration of Caracas.
3. What is the institutional nature of CELAC?
   CELAC operates through intergovernmental cooperation and consensus rather than supranational decision-making. Its Pro Tempore Presidency rotates among member states.
4. What is the India–CELAC Dialogue?
   It is a mechanism for engagement between India and CELAC on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, with the first India–CELAC Troika Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in New Delhi in 2012.