SICA Secretary General Vows to Revive Regional Political Dialogue

Lina Ajoy, the newly appointed Secretary General of the Central American Integration System (SICA), has declared that revitalizing high-level political dialogue across the region is a primary objective of her 2026-2030 term. Ajoy, a Costa Rican diplomat, aims to foster consensus-building and rebuild trust among member states in their shared integration system.

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My intention is to recover the confidence of the countries in their own system, and I believe that this election is already an evident element that confidence has been recovered; to re-establish high-level political dialogue and contribute with great respect in the construction of consensus in our region.

"My intention is to recover the confidence of the countries in their own system, and I believe that this election is already an evident element that confidence has been recovered; to re-establish high-level political dialogue and contribute with great respect in the construction of consensus in our region," Ajoy stated during her inauguration ceremony.

As the first woman to hold the SICA Secretary General position, Ajoy's election in June followed a period where the post remained vacant since 2023, after Nicaragua, which was designated to hold the position for 2022-2026, accused other nations of "unjustified blocking" of its candidate slates. Ajoy acknowledged the perception of SICA as bureaucratic and inefficient, pledging to work towards a renewed, efficient, and accountable system.

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Our integration system is sometimes perceived as bureaucratic, with duplication of functions, institutional dispersion, excessive instances, and budgetary limitations to support that machinery. I desire a renewed, efficient, sustainable SICA that is accountable to the countries and, above all, works hand-in-hand with them to enhance the benefits of integration.

Her agenda includes implementing a "technically and legally sound institutional modernization process" to optimize regional bodies. Ajoy also plans to enhance cooperation projects, integrate digital tools, data-driven management, and artificial intelligence. Furthermore, she intends to bolster SICA's democratic security directorate to better address regional challenges such as migration, climate change, inequality, and digital transformation.

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The Central American region faces great challenges in areas of security, migration, climate change, natural disasters, inequality, digital transformation, food security, and competitiveness. None of these challenges recognize borders, and therefore...