CELAC countries vow to eradicate poverty in Latin America

Caracas, June 19, 2014 (Xinhua).- Officials from the member countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) pledged yesterday to eradicate hunger and poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2024.

The officials met here to review the strategic agenda for regional coordination in a bid to define the countries' shared goals and priority projects for inclusion and social development.

"The region has immense strengths in terms of material resources, human capacity and all the conditions to become a very powerful area of equality and social justice," Venezuelan Vice President of Social Affairs and Minister of Education Hector Rodriguez said.

All countries within the CELAC agreed to the shared vision of reducing inequality and eradicating poverty and hunger, he said.

Venezuela has much to contribute to the achievement of these goals because of the experience accumulated in the last 15 years in decreasing extreme poverty and guaranteeing access to educational services, food and health, Rodriguez pointed out.

The meeting represents further efforts by countries to fight poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean, Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) Ali Rodriguez Araque said.

"We need to use all the potential that exists in the region, in order to overcome poverty and hunger and the conquest of new stages of quality of life for the population," he added.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's regional representative Raul Benitez also attended the meeting.