Sub-regional Projects and Programmes
At the sub-regional level, programmes and projects are formulated jointly by UNIDO staff and national counterparts, and vary according to national priorities. Typically, they are coordinated from UNIDO's Headquarters and require some type of technical cooperation. At the same time, they are supported by experts on the specific field of interest and supervised by the regional field offices (Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay).
With the aim of promoting the sub-regional integration and creation of economic opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean, UNIDO has established a Trade Capacity Building branch and has opened in 2008 a Office in Brussels in order to facilitate dialogue and cooperation with EU. In addition, UNIDO is strengthening its field offices in the LAC region.
During 2007-2008 several initiatives were launched initiating discussions in order to establish many viable sub-regional programmes:
Andean Community - CAN
On the occasion of the UNIDO Director-General visit to Colombia in October 2007, UNIDO, with the support of the Government of Colombia, organized in Bogota a ministerial meeting that included a high-level seminar on trade capacity building and small and medium enterprises. In a ministerial declaration UNIDO technical assistance related to these areas was requested, while the EU delegation attending this event took note of the declaration made, asking UNIDO to develop a regional programme on trade capacity building.
Consultations with the EU for financing a regional programme were undertaken by the UNIDO Regional Office in Colombia, UNIDO LAC Programme at HQ and UNIDO office in Brussels.
A preparatory assistance project was prepared for the formulation of a regional programme that could be financed using EU funds. The programme focuses on four components:
- Trade capacity
- Technology foresight (specifically in the fish sector)
- Industrial management and improvement
- Capacity strengthening for economic analysis and competitiveness
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Secretary General of the Andean Community and UNIDO on 26 February and 13 May 2008, which constitutes an agreement to advance technical cooperation in three areas of interest of SGCAN:
i) Andean quality system
ii) Design of the Andean SME observatory
iii) Andean quality prize for SMEs
Related to these issues, a UNIDO regional workshop on trade capacity building was hosted by the Government of Peru in September 2008.
Central America
Quality infrastructure sub-regional programme of quality system strengthening in Central American countries and Panama
At the request of the SIECA Board (Ministers of Central American countries - COMIECO), UNIDO funded and developed a preparatory assistance for identification (and further formulation) of a quality infrastructure sub-regional programme for the strengthening of quality systems in Central American countries and Panama. The double purpose of this initiative is to:
Contribute to the elimination of restrictions in supply and promote demand in services related to quality in order to promote competitiveness;
Establish a quality infrastructure in Central American countries and Panama to support export markets.
The programme is addressed to public and private organizations and institutions at national and regional level, as well as to business sectors in Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama). The programme deals with areas related to technical aspects (normalization, qualifications, metrology, approval and evaluation) and areas related to health aspects (health measures and registers, harmlessness, inspections, water analysis, monitoring and traceability).
UNIDO carried out and identification mission in 6 Central American countries. The UNIDO trade capacity building quality report presented by UNIDO at the EU-SIECA Validation Seminar got the acceptance of the Central American countries and EU took it as a reference report, giving during 2009 its agreement for funding the sub-regional quality programme formulated. The implementation of the sub-regional programme is expected to be initiated in 2011 - 2012.
The Caribbean
UNIDO, through its Regional Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, initiated in January 2007 a direct dialogue with CARICOM in Georgetown, Guyana. Discussions were oriented by CARICOM to trade capacity building programmes for developing a sub-regional programme for trade capacity. An official request from CARICOM was received by UNIDO and joint activities for the identification phase (quality, market, development, improvement of agro-industries) were started by UNIDO with the Centre for the Development of Enterprises (CDE) and with CARIFORUM as the sub-regional counterpart. A competitiveness and innovation report was prepared by UNIDO and CDE in 2008.
This report, once validated in a joint validation seminar in the region by the Caribbean countries, could serve as a basis for a joint programme to be implemented by UNIDO/CDE and which could be funded by the EU. These activities are also related to the discussions held in New York at the end of 2008 at the UN-CARICOM 5th General Meeting.
