Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia sign agreement to strengthen Urupabol integration

Governments of Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia have signed an agreement to reactivate and strengthen the Urupabol integration mechanism. The accord, signed on the sidelines of the Mercosur Summit, aims to serve as a platform for coordination, cooperation, and integration, thereby boosting regional political dialogue and advancing a common agenda on shared interests.

Ministers of Foreign Affairs from Paraguay, Bolivia, and Uruguay formalized the Urupabol Joint Communiqué of Chancellors. This signing occurred during a break in the Ordinary Meeting of the Common Market Council of Mercosur in Luque. The document reaffirms the commitment of the three nations to bolster Urupabol as a vital space for collaboration and coordinated action.

Under the agreement, Bolivia will assume the Pro Tempore Secretariat. This role will involve overseeing the follow-up of the agreed-upon understandings and coordinating the mechanism's future activities. The reactivation of Urupabol is seen as a strategic move to enhance regional ties and cooperation among the three South American nations.

Originally conceived in 1963, Urupabol was designed to unify the positions of smaller states with less significant economies in the Southern Cone against larger regional powers like Brazil and Argentina. The modern focus of the alliance centers on leveraging the complementary geographical advantages of its members, particularly the access to port facilities in Uruguay for Bolivian and Paraguayan trade, and addressing the needs of landlocked countries like Paraguay and Bolivia.

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Reaffirms the commitment of the three countries to strengthening Urupabol as a space for coordination, cooperation and integration, aimed at promoting regional political dialogue and promoting a common agenda in areas of shared interest.