Abinader Attends Opening of 30th Ibero-American Summit in Madrid

Dominican President Luis Abinader joined leaders from 22 nations in Madrid, where calls for firmer cooperation echoed through the opening ceremony.

Dominican President Luis Abinader took part Wednesday in the opening of the 30th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, held at the Teatro Real in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Ibero-American Secretary General Andrés Allamand attended, along with leaders and representatives from the other member countries.

The summit brings together 22 nations and more than 700 million people, and it coincides with the 35th anniversary of the Ibero-American General Secretariat. Speakers stressed the growing importance of dialogue, cooperation and solidarity in building fairer, more prosperous and more inclusive societies.

King Felipe VI warned that the challenges ahead are larger than any one country can face alone. "We will have to respond with one harmonious voice, or with 22 discordant voices," he said. He also urged leaders to renew support for the summit system, pointing to digital transformation, natural disasters and care as a right and a public good.

Pedro Sánchez said the summits must produce concrete commitments. As an example, he recalled that at a previous meeting Spain pledged to donate part of its COVID-19 vaccine stock to countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Andrés Allamand argued that collective interest also protects each nation's interest, saying it is better to have a world "where everyone progresses, where no one is left behind."

Topics on the agenda include artificial intelligence, food and nutrition security, disaster risk reduction, children's and teens' mental health, youth training in digital skills, academic mobility for health professionals and sustainable tourism development.