March 2, 2001
OAS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND NATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCIES AGREE TO INCREASE TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN THE AMERICAS
A meeting of twenty-four Latin American and Caribbean national cooperation agencies held in Mexico on February 27 and 28 resulted in a new partnership to increase the level of technical cooperation resources available for development in the Americas. "This partnership will significantly contribute to the integration process of the Americas, as well as intensify development efforts" stated Ron Scheman, Director General of the OAS's Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development (IACD).
The meeting organized by the IACD and hosted by the Mexican Foreign Ministry, was convened to inform the national development agencies of the IACD's plans, get their input in the organization's Strategic Plan and develop a formal consultation mechanism between the IACD and its local counterparts. Mrs. Rosalba Ojeda, Director of the Mexican Institute for International Cooperation (IMEXCI), encouraged the countries present to support the IACD's efforts to involve national cooperation agencies. She stated that "the IACD must proceed with its plans to support the development efforts of member States, making sure not to sacrifice their identity nor compromising their principles."
There was consensus among the participants that the IACD would be an effective instrument to improve the delivery of technical cooperation in Latin America and Caribbean. Other measures agreed to were strategies to obtain additional project financing for priority areas to be confirmed in the forthcoming Summit and the creation of an electronic portal to coordinate on-line and distance education training courses offered by universities and other educational institutions through out the hemisphere. A February 26 meeting in Mexico between the IACD, Microsoft Corporation and Monterrey Technical Institute (ITESM) finalized details on the design and content of the Educational Portal of the Americas.
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