(14 May 2010) The Organization of American States (OAS), the Inter American Development Bank (IADB) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) relaunched the Tripartite Cooperation Committee composed of the three institutions.
OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, IADB President Luis Alberto Moreno, and ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena stated that cooperation through the Tripartite Committee will strengthen the impact and heighten the effectiveness of their work in light of the challenges facing the population of the Americas.
The three institutions also agreed to begin joint cooperation activities on issues such as trade, climate change and energy, Millennium Development Goals, innovation and State modernization.
The OAS-IADB-ECLAC Tripartite Cooperation Committee was established on December 7, 1960 through an agreement signed by the Secretary General of the OAS, José A. Mora, the President of the IADB, Felipe Herrera, and the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Raúl Prebisch, with the goal of promoting coordination, cooperation and agreements among the institutions in their efforts on issues of common interest.
The Presidency of the Tripartite Committee will rotate every six months. It is currently held by OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza. IADB President Luis Alberto Moreno will preside it as of July 2010, followed by ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena in January 2011.
José Miguel Insulza stated that "the spirit of greater coordination among our three institutions, which inspired the creation of the Committee in 1960, continues to be valid. However, what is important is making that purpose effective, and that's why we are relaunching the Committee."
Alicia Bárcena noted that during ECLAC's next Session in Brasilia, Brazil a panel will be held on South-South Cooperation (30 May 2010), in which member States will be informed of the relaunching of the OAS-IADB-ECLAC Tripartite Cooperation Committee, its objectives and how it will operate.
Luis Alberto Moreno stressed the importance of highlighting the strengths shown by countries in the region faced with the financial crisis of developed countries. "This will allow the region to better address the global challenges we have before us today, such as climate change, trade and integration and innovation," said Moreno.
The top officials of the three organizations reiterated their commitment to redoubling efforts for closer cooperation, in the same spirit that inspired the creation of the Committee in 1960, and with renewed energy to convert it into a swift mechanism that may achieve greater and better results for the peoples of the continent.
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