Background Information
Argentina played a leadership role in hosting the First UN Conference for Technical Developing among Developing Countries in 1978. The conference has issued the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for strengthening South-South Cooperation which becomes the basis for implementation of actions towards global south technical development. In 1992 the country has established the FO-AR – Argentina Fund for Horizontal Cooperation to strengthen technical assistance to other developing countries. Cooperation issues are coordinated by the Directorate General for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since the establishment of the FO-AR, approximately 3600 actions have been implemented in a larger number of developing countries. Argentina has established a Committee for Technical Cooperation in the context of Mercosur aiming to enhance regional integration. The country has also two Directorates for Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation. Argentina has been a supporter also of the modality of decentralized cooperation including in the process provinces, departments and municipalities other than only states. The first conference on this modality took place in 2005. Argentina has also worked in triangular cooperation projects with JICA and the AECI, the Japanese and Spanish agencies for cooperation. Argentina is a key player on the efforts to promote regional integration namely the Mercosur and its relations with third countries.
Examples of Key Projects of Argentina
| Technical Cooperation Mercosur |
Argentina has given priority for strengthening cooperation in the context of Mercosur to deep regional integration. In this context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina established the Committee for Technical Cooperation for Mercosur (CCT). The attributions of this structure includes the identification, selection, negotiation, approval, implementation and evaluation of horizontal actions of technical cooperation in Mercosur and extra-zone, regional associations and relations with international organizations. Argentina is the second major contributor to the FOCEM – Structural Fund for Mercosur directed to economic and social development of minor states. Together with Brazil, Argentina has conducted some cooperation projects in Haiti which may lead in the future towards the establishment of a regional coordination for technical assistance for cooperation in areas in which the countries have strong capacity such as agriculture and rural development. Argentina is also member of the CAS, Consejo Agropecuario del Sur which coordinates regional actions in the field of agriculture. |
Triangular Cooperation
JICA |
Argentina has implemented projects in a range of areas working together with JICA, the Japanese Aid Agency in the PPJA – Partnership Programme Japan-Argentina. The programme has prioritized South America and in particular Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru in areas such as health, small and medium enterprises, social development and productive capacity such as in agricultural field. In Peru, the partnership supports the PROMESA – Programme for Animal Health Improvement among other projects. In Bolivia, strong focus on health, with monitoring of epidemiology capacity for diseases such malaria and dengue among others.
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Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina
Homepages: http://www.mrecic.gov.ar
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