Who we are/

The Ibero-American General Secretariat is an institution built upon values that unite countries in the region and which have been key to Ibero-American understanding

what is the Ibero-American General Secretariat ?

An international support organisation for 22 countries that make up the Ibero-American community: the 19 Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in Latin America and those of the Iberian Peninsula, Spain, Portugal and Andorra.

We support the organisation of the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, we implement its mandates and we drive Ibero-American Cooperation in the areas of education, social cohesion and culture.

We are the only official space for convergence, work, supervision and agreements in the Ibero-American region that brings together countries on both sides of the Atlantic.

Mapa Iberoamérica Andorra España Portugal México Jamaica Haití República Dominicana Puerto Rico Cuba Belice Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua Costa Rica Panamá Chile Argentina Brasil Guayana Francesa Surinam Guayana Venezuela Colombia Ecuador Perú Bolivia Paraguay Uruguay

what do we do?

main contribution

We contribute to strengthening a well-established space for Ibero-American dialogue.

We are an international organisation responsible for driving the Summits’ decision mandates in the areas of social, cultural and knowledge cohesion and innovation for the benefit of the Ibero-American Community.

How did it arise?

The Ibero-American Secretariat General was created in the year 2003 with the aim of offering permanent support for the 22 member countries that participate in the Ibero-American Conferences and Summits year after year.

Prior to the emergence of the Ibero-American Secretariat General, the Ibero-American countries used to meet and reach agreements but the creation of the Ibero-American Secretariat General served to provide in-depth and specific monitoring of these accords.

the ibero-american community

27

programmes

Cooperation

Implemented in all the countries in the region

our objectives

01

Strengthening the Ibero-American Community and raising its international profile

02

Promoting the historic, cultural, social and economic ties among Ibero-American countries, while valuing the diversity of their peoples.

03

Supporting the preparation of the Ibero-American Summits of Heads of State and Government and implementing their mandates

04

Implementing and strengthening south-south cooperation in the region in the priority areas of education, culture and social cohesion.

the Ibero-American Conference’s international profile

Since the creation of the Ibero-American Secretariat General, our priorities with respect to our mandate of contributing to strengthening the Ibero-American Community and raising its international profile have been clearly set.

Along these lines, we have defined our role

  • at the international body level: as Observers of the United Nations Organisation and its specialised bodies
  • at the regional level: as Observers of the European Union
  • at the sub-regional level: we prioritise relations with the organisations of the intra-Latin-American area and with any bodies that can make significant contributions.

Furthermore, the Ibero-American Conference has Associate Observers (States) and Consultative Observers (International Organisations) whose presence serves to promote a closer tie with other members of the international community and thus open Ibero-America up to linguistically and culturally-related countries and areas.

organisation