Saturday 31st January saw the culmination of a week of celebrations in the Falkland Islands commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Union Flag being raised on Saunders Island. Commodore John Byron placed the flag in 1765 signifying the start of British rule in the Falkland Islands.
Argentine Ambassador in the United Kingdom, Alicia Castro, and the Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones, who will visit Argentina this year, jointly inaugurated in Cardiff celebrations commemorating the settlement of the Welsh in Argentina in 1865. Several activities have been planned both in Patagonia and Wales to celebrate the 150th anniversary.
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced at Portsmouth Naval Base a new national shipbuilding strategy in advance of a decision later this year on orders for the brand new Type 26 Global Combat Ship. The Chancellor also announced that these multi-million pound ships will be based at the Navy bases in Portsmouth and Plymouth.
The construction of the Nestor Kirchner and Jorge Cepernic dams in Santa Cruz, Patagonia is finally set to begin now that China has deposited the first 287.7 million dollars tranche of funding for the massive 4.71 billion project, Argentine President Cristina Fernández announced before leaving for a state visit to China.
Mercosur does not exist; Uruguay is losing precious time and should try a one to one trade agreement with the European Union, according to Paul Riezler, president of the Euro-Chamber in Uruguay and of the Uruguay-Germany Commerce and Industry Chamber.