[ARCHIVO] President Bachelet participates in annual meeting of Chilean International Cooperation Agency scholars
President Michelle Bachelet participated in the annual meeting of Chilean International Cooperation Agency (AGCID) scholars in the Las Camelias patio of the presidential palace. She was accompanied by Foreign Minister Heraldo Muñoz, Social Development Minister Marcos Barraza, Undersecretary of Foreign Relations Edgardo Riveros and AGCID Executive Director Juan Pablo Lira.
“It is very special for me to host you here in the home of our government. I know that many of you have traveled far to study in Chile and will soon return to your countries. It is therefore even more important that we recognize your achievements and hard work. I would especially like to recognize the space for exchange that Chilean International Cooperation Agency scholarships represent for the education and training of Chileans abroad and for foreign visitors in Chile,” President Bachelet stated as she began her remarks.
The objective of the scholarships is to contribute to human capital formation in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa as part of international collaboration policy. AGCID’s function is to capture, provide and manage cooperation resources among nations through the coordination of supply and demand as well as the dissemination of training and educational opportunities for human resources abroad. The agency coordinates the cooperation that Chile provides to equally or less developed nations as well as collaboration opportunities that favor Chile in order to make progress in areas defined as priorities or deficits in national development.
“Our commitment is strong and real. In just the past four years, Chile has invested over 14 million dollars in the creation of human capital. In fact, between 2014 and 2017 we will have awarded nearly 3,000 scholarships in different master’s degree, undergraduate and certificate programs as well as international courses, student mobility and training,” the President said in regard to her administration’s efforts to promote exchange with other nations.
As she finished her speech, the President reflected on this type of cooperation, stating that, “At a time when violence is dramatically impacting international relations, it is important for us here in the southern part of the world to promote cooperation and politics in order to contribute to the development of individuals and societies, growth and the development processes that we are advancing. But above all else, we must promote politics and exchange as a motive for peace and closeness among individuals, cultures and peoples, because this is what will define our world and our humanity”
Diaper market collusion: “We cannot let this happen again”
During her remarks, the President addressed this situation, stating that, “Today we learned that there has been collusion among some diaper companies. These bad practices on the part of some businesspeople directly affect trust and halt our opportunities for development. We cannot let this happen again”.
Along these same lines, President Bachelet noted that, “We have advanced a comprehensive Transparency Agenda and will continue to strengthen institutions that protect consumer rights and promote the proper performance of the markets”.