The Summit South American-Arab Countries

1 – THE SUMMIT SOUTH AMERICAN-ARAB COUNTRIES

Ricardo Stuckert/PR

1.1 - Background information

In the first half of 2003, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched in Brasília the idea of a meeting between Arab and South American countries. Next, during 2003 and the beginning of 2004, Minister of External Relations Celso Amorim and other high Brazilian envoys visited several countries in the Arab World and South America to convey to their respective Heads of State the formal invitation from the Brazilian Government to take part in the event. President Lula himself reiterated the invitation during his visits to Syria, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates and Libya, in December 2003. The idea was generally well received, with manifestations of support and interest.

1. 2 - Preparations

The preparatory process for the Summit involved activities with a diversity of character and objectives. Starting in 2004, several intergovernmental meetings in different formats and with different aims were held:

informative meetings with the Embassies of participating countries in Brasília;
coordination meetings with South American countries (Buenos Aires, September 2004, Brasília, November 2004, Rio de Janeiro, March 2005), to search for agreement on the text of the declaration to be adopted at the Summit;
meetings of Foreign Ministers (Cairo, May 2004, New York, September 2004 and December 2004; Cairo, October 2004 and February 2005, and Marrakech, March 2005), to negotiate the language of the paragraphs of the Declaration to be adopted by the Heads of State during the Summit.

Three seminars were also organized during the preparations for the Summit:

the first one, on September 14 and 15 2004, in São Paulo, on “Dialogue South America-Arab Countries”, when characteristic features of Arab culture and identity were discussed. Scholars and intellectuals of both regions participated in it. Information on the subjects and a list of participants in this seminar are available at the site of Instituto de Pesquisas de Relações Internacionais (IPRI);
the second one, from September 29 to October 1 2004, in Fortaleza (State of Ceará) and Petrolina (State of Pernambuco), dealt with scientific, technical and technological cooperation, during which Arab and South American experts discussed in particular the utilization of semi-arid regions and the management of water resources. Nearly forty high-level specialists, representing seven South American and as many Arab countries, participated in it and defined priority areas for bi-regional co-operation. The conclusions and recommendations of the seminar and the list of participants can be found at http://www2.mre.gov.br/aspa/semiarido/index_semiarido.htm;
the third one, on March 23 2005, in Marrakech, on “Cultural Aspects in South America”, organized by Argentina and Morocco. Subjects discussed were “The Formation of National States in South America and the First Attempts at Regional Co-operation”, “Culture, Science and Technology in South America”, “Integration Processes in South America and their Prospects”, and “Migration, Culture and Identity: The Case of Arab Immigration in South America”. The program and the list of participants are available at http://www.maec.gov.ma/preparatory/SP/seminario.htm.

Throughout the preparatory process all delegations worked earnestly to arrive at a balanced text of a Final Declaration. The process proved a valuable experience inasmuch as it allowed a convergence of positions and a better acquaintance between both negotiating parties. During the talks and meetings a cordial and constructive climate prevailed, a fact which in itself can be considered a political gain in advance of the Summit.

1.3 – The ASPA Summit

The South American-Arab Countries Summit was the first large international meeting in recent history, outside of the regular work program of the United Nations, whose purpose was to bring together two large and important blocks of developing countries.

The objectives of the Summit were:

first, to promote a reciprocal re-discovery between two regions that have many historic affinities and a wide potential of achievements in the field of bilateral relations. Looking at the past, the contact point between the two worlds goes back to the Arab presence in the Iberian Peninsula and to the shaping of the cultures which would later be transplanted to South America. These links were resumed and strengthened with the Arab migratory currents toward South America mainly from the 19th century on, which contributed significantly to the social and cultural formation of South American countries (approximately 10 million Arabs and their descendants live today in Brazil). On the other hand, a large number of South American migrants, particularly from Brazil, have more recently taken the opposite route, toward the Middle East, leaving part of their family in South America and thus building family and culture bridges between the two regions;
second, looking at the future, to promote the mutual re-discovery between two regions which, despite the differences in their respective national conditions, face similar challenges in the struggle for development and share common objectives and interests. The countries in both regions support the search for peace and economic development with social justice, the respect for international law and multilateralism and aim at a multipolar and non-exclusive world and at a more just and tolerant international environment, respecting cultural and ethic diversities.

In short, the main purpose of the Summit was to foster the promotion of a growing interaction whose results may benefit both regions.

1.3.1 - The program of the Summit

The Conference of Heads of State and Government took place on May 10 and 11 2005. High level officers met on May 8 and Foreign Ministers on May 9. The program of the Conference included plenary meetings, bilateral meetings and social events in honor of the Heads of State and Government.

The program of the Conference of Heads of State and Government was as follows:

- MAY 10

9:00 a.m.: Opening ceremony of the South American-Arab Countries Summit
Auditorium of the Convention Center Ulysses Guimarães

- Address by the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, co-president of the Summit;
- Address by the President of Algeria, co-president of the Summit and president of the Arab Summit;
- Address by a representative of South America;
- Address by the Secretary-General of the Arab League.

11:30 a.m.: First Plenary meeting of Heads of State and Government of South America and Arab countries
Hotel Blue Tree, Paranoá Hall;
Subject of discussion: Bi-regional co-operation through trade, investment and business.

1:30 p.m.: Working luncheon offered by the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the Heads of State and Government of South America and Arab countries
Hotel Blue Tree

1:30 p.m. Luncheon in honor of the foreign delegations, offered by the Secretary-General of External Relations of Brazil
Hotel Blue Tree

3:30 p.m. Second Plenary Meeting of Heads of State and Government of South America and Arab countries
Hotel Blue Tree, Paranoá Hall
Subject of discussion: Political dialogue, cultural exchange.

8:30 p.m. Reception in honor of the Heads of State and Government of South America and Arab countries offered by the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil
Itamaraty Palace

- MAY 11

Morning: Bilateral and intra-regional meetings
Hotel Blue Tree

11:00 a.m.: Third Plenary Meeting of Heads of State and Government of South America and Arab countries and closing of the Summit
Hotel Blue Tree, Paranoá Hall

- Presentation to the Heads of State and Government of the Report of the Meeting of Business Executives;
- Adoption of the Final Declaration;
- Address by the President of Algeria, in his capacity as President of the Arab league;
- Address by a representative of South American countries;
- Closing of the Summit by the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

12:30 p.m. Press Conference by the Heads of State and Government of South America and Arab countries
Hotel Blue Tree, Auditorium

1.3.2 - Business Event

Parallel to the Summit a large business event was held, which included a seminar on economic trends, legislation and instruments for attraction of investments and an investment fair, where space was available for government officials, trade and investment promotion agencies and businessmen for the publicity of projects and business opportunities.

The program of the business seminar was as follows:

9:30 – 11:00 a.m.: Opening

11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.: Panels I and II

Panel I: Business culture in South America and in the Arab countries. Integration and Cooperation Mechanisms between Economic Blocks

Panel II: Trade Flows between South America and the Arab Countries: Opportunities, Logistics and Financing.

1:15-3:00 p.m.: Lunch

3:15-7:15 p.m.: Panels III, IV and V

Panel III: Investment Opportunities between South America and the Arab countries: Legislation, Preferences, Partnerships and Projects.

Panel IV: Tourism as a Factor of Cultural Exchange and Generation of Business. Destinations, Infrastructure and Investment.

Panel V: Legal Frameworks for Economic and Trade Cooperation between South America and the Arab Countries. Evaluation and Challenges.

8:00 p.m.: Reception

The Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Mr. Luiz Fernando Furlan, presented on May 11th, at the closing of the Summit, a report on the results of the business event.

1.4 – Agreement between Mercosul and the Gulf Cooperation Council

During the ASPA Summit, Mercosul and the Gulf Cooperaton Council (GCC) signed a Frame Agreement on Economic Cooperation, whose clauses allow for the possibility of both parties signing a Free Trade Agreement.

1.5 - Cultural Program

The cultural program during the Summit encompassed film shows, photographic exhibition, musical performances and gastronomic festivals.

a) CINEMA

- Arab Film Show

- Place: Cine Brasília
- Date: May 6 to 12
- Films shown:
La Boîte Magique, by Ridha Behi (Tunisia)
La Passion, by Mohammed Malas (Syria)
Le Moulin de M. Fabre, by Ahmed Rachedi (Algeria)
La Porte du Soleil, by Yousry Nasrallah (Egypt)
Le Cerf-Volant, by Randa Chahal Sabbag (Lebanon, 2003)
Au Neuvième Mois, by Ali Nassar (Palestine, 2003)

- South American Film Show:

- Place: Cine Academia (replayed at CCBB from 10 to 22 May)
- Date: May 6 to 12
- Selected films:
BomBom, el Perro (Carlos Sorín, Argentina) 2004
Doble Juego (Alberto Durant, Peru) 2003
Whisky (Uruguay, 2004)
La Ultima Luna, by Miguel Littin (Chile, 2005)
Quase Dois Irmãos, by Lucia Murat (Brazil)
As Filhas do Vento (Joel Zito Viana, Brazil) 2004
El Rey (José Antonio Dirado Zuniga, Colombia) 2004
Miramenometokei (Enrique Collar, Paraguay)

b) PHOTOGRAPHY

- Exhibition “AMRIK –Arab Presence in South America”;

- Place: CCBB
- Date: May 2 - June 22, 2006

- Participating photographers:

ARGENTINA: Guadalupe Miles; Juan Travnik; Julio Pantoja; Pablo Garber; Santiago Porter.
BOLIVIA: Dado Galdieri; Eduardo Quintanilla.
BRAZIL: Adenor Gondim; Bruno Veiga; Gilvan Barreto; Lalo de Almeida; Leopoldo Plentz , Marcelo Buainain; Orlando Azevedo; Paula Sampaio.
CHILE: Rodrigo Gómez-Rovira
COLOMBIA: Jorge Mario Múnera
ECUADOR: Judy de Bustamante; Miguel Alvear
PARAGUAY: Jorge Saenz
PERU: Flavia Gandolfo
URUGUAY: Roberto Schettini
VENEZUELA: Esso Alvarez

c) MUSIC

- Concert by Duo Assad
- Place: CCBB
- Date: May 10 (Two concerts at 1:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.)

- Concert by musicians from the Brasília Clube do Choro
- Place: Itamaraty Palace
- Date: May 10

d) GASTRONOMY- Moroccan and Peruvian gastronomic festivals
- Places: Hotel Blue Tree (Morocco) and Hotel Naoum (Peru)
- Date: April 28 - May 01

The ASPA Summit was also the largest event celebrated in Brasília since its foundation. It required the co-operation of the Government of the Federal District and brought together a large part of the local society around the objective of ensuring its success.