In his meeting with Chilean Ambassador Aylin Estrella Joo Liem, who resides in Warsaw, the President underlined that Chile was one of Lithuania’s main economic partners in South America and called for strengthening trade relations and the bilateral regulatory framework. Bilateral trade is expected to pick up with the forthcoming entry into force of the renewed EU-Chile trade agreement. The meeting also discussed the next summit of the EU and the Community of Latin America and Caribbean states (CELAC). Gitanas Nausėda stressed that Lithuania looked forward to an ambitious summit declaration that would underline the common values of partnership between the two regions, multilateral co-operation, and a commitment to uphold the rules-based international order, especially in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Gitanas Nausėda and Helsinki-based Cuban Ambassador Beatriz Parra González accredited to Lithuania also discussed EU-CELAC summit to be held in Brussels this summer, where democracy and human rights are expected to be the main focus of the meeting. The President underlined that 2023 was an important year for the relations between the EU and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
During the meeting with Gamaliel Nkurunziza, the Ambassador of Burundi accredited to Lithuania and residing in The Hague, the President discussed bilateral cooperation in the fields of agriculture and food industry, information technology, as well as education. Gitanas Nausėda underlined Lithuania’s support for EU initiatives aimed at improving access of local communities in Burundi to electricity and health services. The Head of State also pointed out that it was Russia that was responsible for the humanitarian consequences of the war against Ukraine and for food shortages around the world.
