Programmes and projects financed with extrabudgetary resources form an essential part of the ECLAC programme of work. They supplement the activities financed with regular resources, which alone are insufficient for carrying out all mandates, particularly those of an operational nature.
Thanks to the substantive and financial support of a variety of cooperation entities (governments, United Nations agencies, multilateral organizations, academic institutions, foundations and non-governmental organizations, among others), ECLAC is able to enhance its response capacity in the form of cooperation services provided to member States. This includes the implementation of projects, which are generally regional or subregional in scope or benefit a predetermined group of countries. These projects enable the dissemination of successful experiences and best practices, and allow problems and solutions to be approached from a supranational perspective. Many projects address topics related to the provision of “regional public goods”.
ECLAC favours the implementation of extrabudgetary programmes and projects on a multisectoral, multi-year basis. In its relations with development partners, the Commission is seeking to improve the quality of cooperation by focusing on programmes that are consistent with the institutional agenda, rather than an assortment of specific projects.
Among the outputs generated by ECLAC cooperation programmes and projects are comparative research in relation to the region’s countries and other regions; technical assistance, seminars, workshops and training courses; the creation of databases and the formation of networks of specialists.
Through these programmes and projects, ECLAC aims to make a regional contribution to the process of public policy formulation in Latin America and the Caribbean, to strengthen linkages with the global agenda, and to use its convening power to facilitate information-sharing among a variety of actors. These programmes and projects help combine analytical and research activity with technical assistance and training, in order to maximize the results of interventions in beneficiary countries.