Buenos Aires Herald 
President Alberto Fernández met with U.S. President Joe Biden’s Special Advisor for the Americas, Christopher Dodd, to discuss bilateral and regional co-operation following the CELAC summit in Buenos Aires on Wednesday noon.
The meeting, which took place in the Argentine foreign ministry’s ceremonial headquarters, the San Martín Palace, came as Argentina and the US celebrate 200 years of diplomatic relations in 2023. Foreign minister Santiago Cafiero and the ambassador to the US, Jorge Argüello, also attended.
After the meeting, Fernández highlighted the bond between both countries in several topics, “such as democracy, promotion of human rights and gender, food security, the protection of health, climate change, nuclear energy for peace and the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking, among others.”
The Argentine president described the US as “a key partner” to Argentina, and emphasized his desire for the two countries to keep boosting investment and export opportunities.
Although the US and Canada are not members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Joe Biden sent Dodd as an envoy to meet with some of the region’s leaders, attending as an observer.
Dodd also met with Economy Minister Sergio Massa to discuss economic co-operation. The pair discussed the scope for growth in areas such as lithium, electric cars, fossil fuels, innovation, agribusiness, and renewable energy. They also highlighted the potential for Argentina and the US to work together to export key foodstuffs and other supplies in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The US is Argentina’s third-largest trading partner and its largest investor, according to the Economy Ministry.
On Monday, the U.S. Embassy said Dodd’s visit reflected “the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to engaging with our neighbors as we work together to encourage inclusive economic growth, confront shared challenges, and promote democracy, human rights, and rule of law in our hemisphere.”
The Embassy also said that the U.S. government would “strengthen regional collaboration through the Organization of American States.”
