During the meeting, leaders reaffirmed the mutual vision that South America is a region of peace and cooperation, based on dialogue and respect for the diversity of peoples. They vowed to protect democracy, human rights, sustainable development, social justice, the rule of law, institutional stability, sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs.
The leaders agreed that the world faces multiple challenges, such as the climate crisis, threats to peace and international security, pressures on food and energy chains, risks of new pandemics, increasing inequality, and threats to institutional and democratic stability. In view of this, they highlighted that regional integration must be a part of the solution to facing these shared challenges and building a peaceful world.
Among others, the topics addressed were, promoting economic and social development, fighting against poverty, hunger, inequality, and discrimination, gender equality, orderly migration management, confronting climate change, the ecological and energy transition, strengthening health competencies, and the fight against transnational organized crime.
Leaders also committed to increasing trade and investments among countries in the region, improving infrastructure and logistics, strengthening regional value chains, facilitating financial trade and integration, overcoming asymmetries, and eliminating unilateral measures. One of the goals is to achieve an effective South American free trade area.
In addition, they recognized the importance of maintaining regular dialogue to boost South America's integration process and project the region's voice to the world. To this end, they decided to establish a contact group led by chancellors, responsible for evaluating the experiences of South American integration mechanisms and to prepare a road map for regional integration which the Heads of State will assess.
To immediately promote South American cooperation initiatives, the leaders agreed to focus on areas that meet citizens' needs, especially those in vulnerable situations, including indigenous peoples. These areas include health, food security, environment, water resources, natural disasters, infrastructure, energy interconnection, digital transformation, defense, border security, transnational organized crime fighting, and cybersecurity.
South American leaders also plan to meet again at a date and location to be determined to monitor the progress of regional cooperation initiatives and define the next steps. The intention is to maintain the commitment to peace, integration, and progress of the region.