Latest News

China becomes Peru’s main trade partner and a leading investor -

Peruvian Prime Minister Salomon Lerner said that China’s direct investments in the country would increase between 30% and 40% in the next two years. China became this year Peru’s main trade partner.



IMF chief praises Latinamerica, which can provide ‘some lessons to the advanced world’ -

IMF chief Christine Lagarde who this week will be visiting Latinamerica said that Brazil, Mexico and Peru, like to many other countries in the region have done remarkably well over the past few years and can provide some lessons to the advanced countries.



Brazil's development: Is it sustainable for people and planet? -

By MAGGIE JARUZEL POTTER



EU and Latam leaders call for quick conclusion of the EU/Mercosur trade accord -

European Union and Latin American leaders called for a quicker pace in concluding the EU/Mercosur cooperation and trade negotiations. The statement took place during the meeting in Brussels of the Euro-Latinamerica Parliamentary assembly.



Head of Spain’s main banking group meets with Brazilian president -

The president of Spain’s banking group Santander Emilio Botin described Brazil as “a very interesting market for Spain” following a meeting with Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff.



Potential questions to raise with decision makers


A non-inclusive list of questions is set out below. It can be used by Latin American and European civil society actors in discussions with officials from the EC, EU member states and Latin American governments:

Civil Society Participation:

  • Has the future Country Strategy Paper ensured a real ownership of the development strategy by all the sectors of our society? How?
  • Has the civil society organisations been involved in programming, implementation and evaluation of EC aid in our country? How?
  • Have resources been made available to ensure this participation is possible? How?
  • Have the specific participation of gender equality advocates been ensured in these processes? How?
  • Has the specific participation of marginalised groups been ensured? How?
  • Etc…

Millennium Development Goals:

  • Will the Country Strategy Paper strongly promote gender equality? How?
  • What about Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights?
  • Will the Country Strategy Paper set the basis for a development model that is environmentally sustainable? How?
  • Will our Country Strategy Paper ensure that the European Union makes a significant contribution to strengthening primary education in our country? How?
  • Will our Country Strategy Paper ensure that the European Union makes a significant contribution to strengthening primary health in our country? How?
  • Will the promotion of human rights form an integral part of the CSP? How?
  • What strategies the CSP will follow to ensure that issues such as gender, human rights or environmental protection are appropriately mainstreamed in the EC’s assistance programme?
  • Will the EU Country Strategy Paper provide for an effective support to the fight against HIV/Aids and other communicable diseases in our country? How?

Budget support:

  • Will a substantial part of this assistance be channelled through general budget support?
  • If yes what mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that this aid contributes to reaching the Millennium Development Goals?
  • Will gender responsive budgeting initiatives be used as a strategy to ensure adequate gender mainstreaming?
  • Will civil society participate in the discussions regarding the distribution of this assistance? How?
  • How can a monitoring process be put in place to see if the allocated money will be disbursed and the stated objectives achieved?
  • Is our parliament going to be involved in this process?

Donor Driven Agenda:

  • How can we ensure that the fight against terrorism, does not jeopardise our efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals?
  • Which mechanism is put in place to make sure that projects on the reintegration of refugees and migrants are in line with international human rights standards and that these programmes do not draw on scarce development resources?
  • In relation to the governance debate what indicators are used to measure progress? Are these only (quantitative) indicators on corruption, elections? Or are social and economic rights taken into account? The distribution of wealth between provinces? The way donors tend to give preference to more urban development, etc ?

Implementation:

  • How are the objectives and the policy proposals concretely translated in project proposals and financial tables? Can we have access to these project proposals and financial tables?
  • What are the actual disbursement in our country ? For which project, programs and sectors? Is detailed financial information available?
  • Which organisations and governmental bodies are involved in the implementation?