Second Expert Group Meeting

28-30 November 2007: Regional Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean 2006-2009

Background

GRULAC, in partnership with UNIDO, has worked actively in the optimization of technical assistance offered to the region, through the development of a Regional Strategic Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean for the period 2006-2009.

Following the resolutions GC.11/Res.1 and GC.11/12, the 1st Expert Group Meeting for the Latin America and the Caribbean took place in Vienna from 15 to 17 November 2006. In the conclusions and recommendations of the aforementioned EGM, LAC countries established the request of a yearly meeting to strength the dialogue within UNIDO to optimize the technical assistance in the region.

Second Expert Group Meeting

The Second Expert Group Meeting, jointly organized by UNIDO and GRULAC, took place at the UNIDO Headquarters in Vienna from the 28 to 30 November 2007. High-level participants of nineteen Latin American countries attended this event.

During the aforementioned meeting the Strategic Regional Programme for LAC countries: 2006-2009 were discussed and established, and its operational areas were defined. The high-level national experts of the participant countries defined jointly with UNIDO the thematic priority areas for technical assistance to developing countries.

On the medium-term, this UNIDO-GRULAC initiative is expected to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, especially those related to sustainable development and poverty alleviation, and support the regional integration that stimulates South-South cooperation.

The meeting was divided in 9 sessions, where the participants were invited to discuss and exchange experience inside the framework of the Strategic Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean: 2006-2009.

Participating countries

Argentina	Chile	Dominican Republic		Paraguay
Belize	Colombia	Ecuador	Mexico	Peru
Bolivia	Costa Rica	El Salvador	Nicaragua	Uruguay
Brazil	Cuba	Guatemala	Panama