Guatemala City, 4 October 2018 – Think tanks from across Ibero-America met on the 3rd and 4th October to discuss the importance of South-South cooperation for sustainable development. The event, which was organized by Asociación de Investigación y Estudios Sociales (Association for Research and Social Studies/ASIES) and Southern Voice with UNOSSC, is occurring under the auspices of the XXVI Ibero-American Summit with support from the Government of Guatemala as the Pro-Tempore Secretariat and the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB).
This is the first ever meeting of think tanks in advance of the Ibero-American Summit. It is hoped that this will become a regular part of future Summit agenda.
The meeting focused on scoping the contributions of South-South and triangular investments for the SDGs between Ibero-American countries and beyond, and identifying challenges and good practices in policy areas that can facilitate better investments between countries for the achievements of the 2030 Agenda.
The XXVI Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government – whose theme is “A prosperous, inclusive and sustainable Ibero-America” – will take place on November 15 and 16, 2018 in La Antigua, Guatemala. The Summit brings together representatives from States on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean to facilitate better cooperation for the achievement of common objectives. The Secretariat’s adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs in its plans and activities gives hope and confidence as its 22-member countries commit to sustainable development and multilateralism.
A meeting of think tanks in the context of the Ibero-American Summit was designed to support and strengthen cooperation in the region by providing inputs for governments to consider in the adoption of evidence-based public policies. Through this forum, think tanks can better connect with each other in order to collectively address multi-disciplinary challenges within their region and beyond. The meeting provided an opportunity for participants to find channels to inform and influence regional and global development agendas and policy dialogues through the development of frontier research and knowledge on South-South cooperation.
Speaking during the inaugural session, Mr. Estuardo Roldán, Vice-Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, discussed the importance of evidence-based decision making and public policy. Mr. Ignacio Uriarte, Director of Planning, Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation, SEGIB and Ms. Raquel Zelaya, President of the Board of Directors, ASIES, echoed these remarks.
Speaking on behalf of UNOSSC, Ms. Cecilia Milesi, Senior Advisor on Peace and Development, highlighted the importance of South-South cooperation for achieving the SDGs. She noted that for many years SEGIB has facilitated the sharing of knowledge, experience and good practices between its member States.
Across the two days, participants shared experiences from their countries, identified challenges facing Ibero-American States, and debated possible solutions and recommendations. At the end of the event, a list of policy recommendations were produced for submission to the Heads of State and Government, in order to inform Ibero-American countries in making informed decision regarding investments, and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs in the region.
For more information please contact:
Ms. Cecilia Milsei, Senior Advisor on Peace and Development, UNOSSC (Cecilia.Milesi@unossc.org)
Ms. Shams Banihani, Knowledge Specialist, UNOSSC (Shams.Banihani@unossc.org)
Mr. Michael Stewart, Knowledge and Programmes Analyst, UNOSSC (Michael.Stewart@unossc.org)
