During the preparatory stage of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council, held on Wednesday, 10 December, the Permanent Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), Ambassador Lesly David, emphasised during the presentation of his management report that “he has focused on translating the mandate of our countries into concrete projects that promote economic, social and human integration in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Before the representatives of the Member States, the Ambassador stressed that SELA has prioritised “rapid and strategic action” to strengthen three fundamental areas: Regional Coordination, Tangible Cooperation and Strategic Vision, pillars that guide the organisation’s actions to generate concrete and sustainable results.

As regards Regional Coordination, the Permanent Secretary highlighted that SELA has functioned as a platform for dialogue in the region, ensuring that the diverse needs of each of our Member States are represented.

With regard to Tangible Cooperation, he underscored the initiatives developed for economic and social interaction, transforming our agreements into direct benefits for citizens, seeking efficiency and transparency in each of our programmes.

Likewise, when referring to the Strategic Vision, he emphasised SELA’s position as a key interlocutor and promoter of public policy proposals, both intraregionally and in the global context, so that our region can move forward in a strong and coherent manner.

“Every effort has been directed towards generating real value for Latin American and Caribbean citizens,” the Permanent Secretary of SELA said. In this regard, he added that integration “is not a goal, but a daily act of political will and human solidarity.”

He reaffirmed that SELA’s founding values “are more relevant today than ever,” in the context of the organisation’s 50th anniversary. “SELA is moving forward in its consolidation as a regional benchmark in the search for solutions through cooperation,” he said.

“We close 2025 with the firm conviction that only together can we build the prosperity that our peoples deserve,” the Permanent Secretary of SELA expressed.

At the meeting, the Colombian Ambassador to Venezuela and Chair of the Bureau of the Latin American Council of SELA, Milton Rengifo, highlighted the relevance of SELA as a coordinating hub for regional integration. “Colombia will continue to contribute to this goal,” he stressed.

“In these uncertain times, SELA is a light in the darkness. SELA must become a source of technical support for the region,” Ambassador Rengifo said.

For their part, SELA’s Social Development Coordinator, Gustavo Herrera, and the Advisor to the Permanent Secretariat, Ricardo Michel, presented the Draft Work Programme for 2026-2029 for consideration by the delegations present. The programme focuses on three areas of work: Economic Recovery, Digitalisation and Infrastructure, and Social Development, in line with the 2030 Agenda, firmly maintaining the mandate of Member States to promote the construction of a more prosperous, competitive and inclusive region.

The Latin American Council is the highest decision-making body of SELA and is composed of one representative from each Member State. Its functions include considering, evaluating and approving the work programme for the following year; the annual report of the Permanent Secretariat; the budget and financial statements of the mechanism. It also evaluates the activities of the Secretariat and the Action Committees.

After 50 years of uninterrupted work, SELA has become a leading regional organisation, carrying out permanent consultation and coordination, cooperation and joint economic and social promotion work, with international legal personality, before countries, groups of nations, forums and international organisations.

During the 51st Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council, SELA reiterates that it is essential to work towards the integration of the region through intra-regional cooperation in order to advance towards economic recovery and the development of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.