Triangular Cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean: International Competence Building
Programme description
Title: Triangular Cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean – Human Capacity Development (HCD)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Countries: Latin America and the Caribbean
Overall term: 2011 to 2013
Context
International development cooperation is increasingly shaped by developing countries’ own initiatives and their financial and technical contributions. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are also becoming more heavily involved in South–South and triangular cooperation. Such countries are already acknowledged as having technical expertise to some extent and are increasingly applying this know-how in international cooperation.
In practice, however, experiences can be mixed. Some partners themselves recognise that they still need to adapt in terms of quality, efficiency, results, relevance, significance and sustainability. The ‘Triangular Cooperation with Latin American and the Caribbean: International Competence Buidling’ programme is putting measures in place that will address this issue. The project’s components focus on international skills development and thereby supplement the ‘Regional Fund for Triangular Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean’ programme that has also been commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Objective
Cooperation institutions in partner countries are strengthened and there is more widespread systematic cooperation both between stakeholders and between participating countries. Joint development measures are managed and implemented. The effectiveness, sustainability and efficiency of cooperation agreements in the region are improved.
Approach
The project is concentrating on the following spheres of activity
- Systematising joint learning processes in triangular cooperation.
- Exchanging experiences – and also putting in place and developing cooperation arrangements – via dialogue and network-building measures. The instruments used are regional conferences, workshops and meetings, which are sometimes attended by high-ranking representatives from organisations and ministries in the region.
- Training stakeholders in specific projects supported by the ‘Regional Fund for Triangular Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean’ in the following areas: specialist international cooperation expertise, leadership and management skills, monitoring, evaluation, knowledge management, and the systematisation of best practices.
- Strengthening and interlinking selected regional further education establishments in terms of skills and staffing levels in order to ensure that capacities are sustainably embedded at local level.
Results achieved so far
As part of the project several workshops have been conducted on planning, monitoring and developing triangular cooperation in various contexts and countries, thereby strengthening participants’ implementation and project management skills. A regional conference was also held in Bogotá to exchange information, encourage networking and further develop triangular cooperation.