Department of Economic and Social Affairs 
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The following training activities were conducted for public officials and representatives of the private sector in the member countries:
A number of the activities listed above were carried out with the support and cooperation of the University of Miami's North-South Center and the Inter-American Horizontal Cooperation System (SICH) of the Executive Secretariat for Economic and Social Affairs.
The Inter-American Marketing Center (CICOM), headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, conducted training activities through the following courses: a) the Third Inter-American Course on "Banking and Foreign Trade", in Córdoba, Argentina, at the Banco de la Provincia de Córdoba. Attending were 26 participants from banks in 14 countries of the region and 10 fellowship recipients from member countries; b) the IV Inter-American Course on "International Trade Negotiations", at the Universidade Estacio de Sá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In attendance were 25 participants from 13 countries, including 10 fellowship recipients from the member countries; c) the First Inter-American Course on "Business Associations and Foreign Trade", at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Salta, Argentina, and the Universidad Católica de Salta. Attending were 10 fellowship recipients from member countries and 25 national participants; d) the XXVI Inter-American Course on International Marketing (CINTER), held at the Universidade UNISINOS in Sao Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A total of 30 national seminars were conducted in six member countries.
Progress was made on preparation of a regional cooperation program under the Integrated Business Management and Quality Control Project. A mission to Mexico was conducted to demonstrate the procedures used in the food industry and to confer thereon. The Mexican authorities and specialized institutions agreed to participate in a regional meeting to strengthen cooperative ties in this area.
Public relations activities were targeted at promoting cooperation among the authorities in charge of furniture industry promotional events. The countries where these activities were carried out were Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. Cooperation agreements were concluded on designs and standards. In conjunction with the Corporación Invertir in Colombia, sector-specific priorities were identified and the work program was developed for a seminar/workshop on international strategic alliances. Representatives from Ecuador will participate as well.
Technical cooperation was supplied to develop dairy and beef export products using a quality control system. Publication of the quarterly newsletter (Boletín Trimestral) of commodities prices continued.
The Government's efforts at economic liberalization and privatization provided a frame of reference for the activities in Nicaragua. The goal was to improve the capacity of the public and private sectors, especially in small- and medium-size enterprise, to negotiate measures aimed at facilitating commerce and eliminate the discriminatory factors in exports, improve access of the export supply and protect intellectual property by enacting modern legislation.
The Plurinational Project on Creating Business and Generating Employment (Latin American Module) worked with the National Union of Small- and Medium-size Enterprise (UNPYME) of Panama to organize and hold the First Central American Small Business Fair at the Atlapa Center. Participating were craft businesses and cottage industries from seven countries. The associations of small- and medium-size enterprise of Central America and the Dominican Republic signed an agreement to promote trade, mutual advisory services, special trade fair fees, business activities and market data sharing networks.
In Barbados, the Department worked with the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC). Profiles of businesses were developed and then circulated among companies in the United States that were interested in operating in Barbados. Information and reporting mechanisms were established concerning businesses in Barbados that work in partnership with foreign firms.
A fellowship was granted to an official of the Ministry of Commerce of Belize for training at New York's World Trade Institute. Another two officials received grants to visit the United States, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
In Ecuador, a project for modernizing the National Customs System was designed and put into practice. In Peru, advisory assistance was provided to the National Customs School. The Inter-American Seminar on Customs Automation was held in March, the First Meeting of Directors of Customs Schools in the Andean Countries in July, and four seminars for journalists on customs modernization processes between May and November.
More than 330 personnel attached to the customs and port services received training through the following activities: a) III Seminar-Workshop for Experts on the Harmonized System, in Mexico, April, with the Mexican Customs Bureau; b) the II Inter-American Seminar on Customs Valuation, Business Fraud, Customs Evasion and Other Customs-related Crimes, in Guadalajara, in Mexico in August, with the Mexican Customs Bureau; c) the II Central American Course on Customs Operations, in Panama in June, with the General Customs Office of Panama; d) the III Inter-American Course on Customs Techniques, in Brasilia, Brazil, August, with the Brazilian Secretariat of the Treasury; e) the XVI Ibero-American Course on International Customs Techniques, in Madrid, September to November, in conjunction with the Spanish Treasury and Customs Bureau School; f) the First Inter-American Course on Business Fraud, in Martinique in June, and the First Inter-American Course for Coast Guards, in Martinique in October, with the French Customs Bureau; g) First Course on Customs Automation, Glynco, Georgia, in August, with the United States Customs Service; h) the I Meeting of Customs Schools of the Andean Countries, in Peru, July, in conjunction with the Peruvian Customs Office; i) the I Inter-American Course on Port Management in Valparaíso, Chile, in conjunction with the Chilean Port Enterprise (EMPORCHI), the Universidad del Mar and TRAINMAR/UNCTAD; j) IV Seminar-Workshop for Experts on the Harmonized System, in Mexico in September, in conjunction with the Mexican Customs Bureau.
Joint projects were conducted with the World Customs Organization, the Caribbean Council for the Application of Customs Laws, the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), CARICOM, SIECA, the Secretariat of the Latin American, Spanish, and Portuguese Customs Directors Mutual Assistance Convention, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and with CICAD.
Horizontal cooperation projects were conducted with the Customs Services of the United States, Spain and France; with the Port of Miami, and with the United States Department of State.