1. The FEALAC (Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation) Coordination Meeting and seventh Cyber Secretariat Workshop will take place from May 23 to 24 at Westin Chosun Hotel in Busan, with delegations from 33 East Asian and Latin American member states in attendance.

o The upcoming meeting aims to prepare for the eighth FEALAC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, to be held in Busan on August 31.

2. In the upcoming meeting, high-level officials and other participants from member states will review the progress in preparing for the FEALAC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in August, and focus their discussions on an outcome document (Busan Declaration), main deliverables (creation of a FEALAC fund, adoption of the New FEALAC Action Plan, etc.), and a side event (third FEALAC Business Forum (June 30, Seoul)).

o The FEALAC Coordination Meeting will also be held among delegates from former, current and next Regional Coordinators, including the ROK (five countries), and co-chair countries of four Working Groups. In the meeting, the delegates will work to reach consensus on major issues to be addressed at the FEALAC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

o The upcoming meeting will also be attended by high-level officials from the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), UN organizations that represent East Asia and Latin America. In the meeting, they will support the development of the FEALAC process, including the establishment of a FEALAC fund, and propose concrete strategies for that.

o With the support of the Busan Metropolitan City, participants will also be provided with an opportunity to make a tour of Nurimaru APEC House, the venue for the FEALAC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in August, and other major tourist attractions for smooth preparations for the participation of foreign ministers of member states in the event in August.

3. The ROK has played an active role and made contributions to enhance connectivity between East Asia and Latin America since the launch of FEALAC in 1999. In a bid to help FEALAC make a significant leap forward ahead of its 20th anniversary in 2019, the ROK is exerting diplomatic efforts to make sure that member states successfully reach an agreement on various ROK-led initiatives at the upcoming 8th FEALAC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

o The upcoming meeting is expected to contribute to establishing the foundation for the successful hosting of the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in August by serving as an opportunity to coordinate member states’ views on various ways to develop FEALAC.


* unofficial translation