Undersecretary Silli received SICA’s Executive Director at the Foreign Ministry: an exchange of views on Central America’s integration prospects and opportunities for collaboration

Today Undersecretary Giorgio Silli received - at the Foreign Ministry - the Executive Director of the Central American Integration System (SICA), Ingrid Figueroa Santamaria - who is in Rome to take part in the World Food Forum - for an exchange of views on the Organisation's most topical issues, the prospects for Central America's integration and the cooperation projects launched between the SICA and Italy, also through the International Italian-Latin American Organisation (IILA).

In particular, Undersecretary Silli recalled the commitment of Italy - an Observer Country in the SICA since 2009 - to a more solid and structured regional integration, thus reaffirming Italy's full willingness to work in synergy with the Organisation, to address the main challenges of the Central American area, including the fight against organised crime; the management of migration flows; the fight against climate change; and the fight against inequality.

Undersecretary Silli said that "the regional integration of Central American countries is a topic by which Italy sets great store." He added he is confident that "the SICA's activities, which are currently slowed down due to the failure to appoint a new Secretary General, can soon resume with renewed vigour." He assured: "Italy will not fail to provide its contribution."

While thanking Undersecretary Silli for his hospitality, Director General Figueroa illustrated the Organisation's current activities and the priorities of the next Costa Rican Presidency pro tempore, which will begin next January.