Dr. Leonel Fernández Unanimously Elected President of European Union – Latin America and the Caribbean Foundation (EU-LAC)

The 33 countries that make up the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) voted for Fernández. His candidacy was presented by the government of the Dominican Republic through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The President of GFDD/Funglode , Dr. Leonel Fernández, was unanimously selected to preside over the European Union – Latin America and the Caribbean Foundation (EU-LAC Foundation), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican
Republic (Mirex) announced.

Fernández, the former president of the Dominican Republic, will take over the position of the ex-Chancellor of Austria and ex-Commissioner of the European Union, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

The candidacy of Fernández was presented at the XIII Meeting of National Coordinators of CELAC, held in Quito by the government of the Dominican Republic through Mirex. Thirty-three countries voted in consensus in favor of the three-time
President of the Republic and President of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).

During his time as president, Dr. Fernández will face the challenges associated with developing the EU-LAC into an international organization. Currently, it is a non-governmental organization with headquarters in Hamburg.

The election of President of GFDD/Funglode will also give way to the choosing of a new executive director, who, in conformity with regulations, will have
to be European. Currently, this position is occupied by the Peruvian Ambassador Jorge Valdez.

The statement from Mirex indicates that Chancellor Andrés Navarro ensured that Fernandez”s election represents yet another victory for Dominican diplomacy on the international level.

He maintained that Fernández will be able to bring about the integration of Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean with great energy, while bringing the name of the Dominican
Republic to the forefront.

He also underlined that Fernández”s presidency of this international organization will coincide with the Dominican Republic assuming the Pro-Tempore Presidency of CELAC, “which will allow for the uniting of efforts between the Foundation and CELAC to strengthen integration in the region, with the Dominican Republic as its strategic center.”

The EU-LAC Foundation is an entity that was created in May 2010
with the goal of developing relationships between non-governmental sectors in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean and to put them into contact with the agenda developed by the governments of these regions. The foundation choose Funglode (Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) as its strategic partners in Latin America and the Caribbean.