Julliane is a single mother living with her 3 children and her sister in a poor neighbourhood in Brazil.
The EU must relaunch its relationship with Latin America (LAC)
This ‘relaunch’ should aim to address the pervasive inequality in LAC, which stands as one of the world’s most unequal regions. Six out of ten people struggle to make ends meet, while tax evasion and fraud lead to the loss of six percent of regional GDP every year. At the same time, the combined wealth of 91 billionaires is greater than Colombia’s GDP.
In 2023, the EU launched a new agenda for the region. But this agenda just masks the old business agenda as Europe continues to chase trade and investment and sideline the well-being of people.
Instead, the EU should bridge the gap between the rich and the poor and hold businesses accountable for the damage done to people and the planet. It must stop putting private investment above people and instead support initiatives to tackle inequality, protect civic space and the environment. The EU must listen to the people of Latin America and the Caribbean instead of making one-sided trade deals and extracting raw materials.
Oxfam calls for the EU to prioritise a partnership:
- Prioritises human rights and fights inequality while protecting the environment and promoting the region's digital transition.
- Includes inequality reduction targets in the Global Gateway projects and plans due diligence obligations for companies getting funds from the Global Gateway.
- Includes a democratic mechanism that allows civil society organisations and others to monitor EU-CELAC relations.
- Promotes a bi-regional Pact for Care Societies to recognise care work and strengthen women’s rights.