South American leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay and Peru have signed this week the Santiago Declaration, in Santiago de Chile, which sets the basis for a new development bloc named Prosur, which will replace the existing South American bloc Unasul.
According to the document, the countries expressed their desire to “build and consolidate” a regional space for regional cooperation, without exclusions, to further integrate South America. The document said the “development forum” would be established gradually, under a “flexible, light and inexpensive basis.”
Topics of interest for Prosur include infrastructure, energy, health, defense, as well as response to natural disasters.
Chile will assume the pro-tempore presidency of Prosur within the next 12 months, the document said. Then, Paraguay should assume the leadership of the development block for a further 12-month period.