▁of ▁South ▁American ▁Nations ▁( US AN ), ▁have ▁only ▁been ▁established ▁in ▁recent ▁times . ▁The ▁AL ▁Secretary ▁General ▁Am r ▁M ous sa ▁has ▁stated ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁Arab ▁League ▁and ▁Latin ▁America ▁to ▁seek ▁strong ▁relations . ▁There ▁are ▁over ▁ 2 0 ▁million ▁Arab s ▁living ▁in ▁Latin ▁America , ▁with ▁Brazil ▁containing ▁over ▁half ▁of ▁that ▁number . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁President ▁Lu iz ▁In á cio ▁L ula ▁da ▁Silva ▁was ▁particularly ▁vocal ▁in ▁efforts ▁to ▁improve ▁relations . ▁ ▁The ▁Arab - Lat in ▁American ▁relations ▁are ▁concentr ated ▁mainly ▁on ▁Energy ▁and ▁Trade , ▁strength ening ▁t ies ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁regions . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁first ▁South ▁American - A rab ▁Count ries ▁Sum mit ▁( AS PA ) ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Brazil , ▁with ▁ 3 4 ▁countries ▁att ending ▁to ▁discuss ▁trade ▁and ▁energy . ▁Arab ▁and ▁Latin ▁American ▁econom ies ▁are ▁complement ary . ▁Latin ▁America ▁has ▁developed ▁high - tech ▁skills ▁and ▁indust ries ▁that ▁will ▁find ▁ready ▁mark ets ▁in ▁the ▁Arab ▁world ▁as ▁will ▁its ▁agricult ural ▁production . ▁But ▁Latin ▁America ▁is ▁also ▁energy - h un gry ▁and ▁a ▁ready ▁market ▁for ▁Arab ▁oil ▁and ▁down stream ▁pet ro chem ical s . ▁They ▁also ▁have ▁other ▁common ▁interests , ▁not ▁just ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁see ▁the ▁elim ination ▁of ▁the ▁subs id ies ▁that ▁allow ▁European ▁and ▁American ▁far mers ▁to ▁destroy ▁the ▁liv elihood