BOND Latin American and Caribbean Group Meeting

19th July 2007

WWF offices, London

Participants: Sonia Martins (LEPRA), Gaia Gozzo (CARE International UK), Shampa Nath (Healthlink Worldwide), Belisario Nieto and her colleague from Peru (Progressio), Maria Arce Moreira (Practical Action), Graciela Miller (Intered), Fiona Howie (BOND), Claire Mcguigan (Christian Aid), Plan International UK, Rosalind Elliot (World Vision), Sarah Hutchinson (WWF), Gevys Rondon (Latin American Mining), Tian Spain (Teach a Man to Fish), Andy Stockbridge (Toybox Charity), Leonie Try (Health Unlimited)

Apologies: Tessa (CAWN), Catherine (Childhope UK), Clare Dixon (CAFOD), Jo Deverson (IRC-UK), Susana Klien (WOMANKIND Worldwide)

Agenda Item / Action
  1. Introduction and welcome

  1. Minutes of April Meeting and follow up
The work plan 2007-2008 was approved in the April meeting but in view of the new DfID situation it may require some adjustments. / Steering Committee to identify adjustments on the DFID group (should the SC be in charge of this? Who is in charge of the advocacy?) circulate for comments and further approval.
  1. Update on Steering Committee (SC)
Gaia Gozzo from CARE International UK will replace Miranda Clarke who had to stand down from the LACG Steering Committee due to an internal reshuffle at CARE. Gaia chaired the meeting on Thursday.
Pedro Gonzales from UNAIS had to step down from the SC.
Sonia Martins (LEPRA), Angela Murray (Toybox Charity) and Gevys Rondon (Latin American Mining) were confirmed as members of the SC.
A call was made to increase the membership of the SC.
Current Members of steering group:
Rebeca Zuniga Hamlin
Gaia Gozzo
Sonia Martins
Angela Murray
Gevys Rondon
Andy Croggon from Christian Aid will support for six months.
  1. Working groups update
4.a Funding Group
-Shampa informed that the ToRs for this group were finalised and was forwarded to SC. It is not yet decided how often this group will meet. The group intends to target non-traditional smaller donors. The first action of the group will be to contact the Middle East funding group to share information since they work with similar type of donors.
-The group inquired about how to ensure that the work this group may carry out will be fed back and potentially used by the rest of the LACG so that it does not become a closed discussion group.
- Discussion on this followed and it was agreed that raising the profile of the LAC region was a cross cutting feature for all the three WGs. It was also acknowledged that this group needs to relate with the already existing BOND Funding Group and for that purpose having someone participating in this group will be useful. Sharing information with the whole LACG will be important to develop common strategies to address the challenges of MICs with donors. Suggestions were made about combining donors’ invitation and organising an event to raise awareness about LA and its specific development challenges. It was also highlighted that the funding group could come up with a strategic analysis of aid pattern in the region.
4.b EU Trade Policy Group
No feed back received.
4.c DfID Group
Although Catherine Kirodotakau was not present in the meeting, questions were raised about the need of a specific DfID group. Considering the central importance of DfID for this group, it was suggested that DFID should fall under the remit of the Steering Group. Various participants thought that the funding LAC Group could concentrate on DfID as well.
A point was made about how and who should be responsible for the advocacy work. It was clarified that the SC could lead the advocacy activities but further discussion will be needed on how to do it in a future meeting.
The SC will also lead on how to reengage with DfID considering the recent ministerial reshuffling. / Working Groups have been reminded that they need to send their TORs.
There will be a regular slot of 10 minutes for update on progress made by the WGs in each LACG meeting.
A representative of the LAC Funding Group will participate in the meetings of the BOND funding group.
Gaia to share the issues raised on the DfID group with the SC.
Discussion on advocacy strategy during next meeting
  1. Report back on DfID issues
It is expected that the new parliamentarian under secretary of state for international development in charge of the region – Shahid Malik - would probably further downgrade support for the region. DFID budget will be finalised in October. Discussions on how to lobby for further support to the region was therefore discussed, as a group and bilaterally.
5.a RAP/consultation meeting
Feedback on the event by some participants highlighted questions raised about the focus on Brazil, inequality in the region that is not truly reflected by the MIC definition, avoidance to address questions related to IFIS in the region and the very small amounts allocated to the region. Bolivian office remains but with reduced staff. The new RAP will be submitted for approval in October and considering the closure of Parliament until September there is limited time to lobby MPs on this issue although trying to reach out DfID is still possible.
The main focus for the lobbying will be to stop downgrading the region even further. The ODI evaluation report is considered good with many interesting points raised within.
Some brainstorming followed. Potential events for advocacy activities were identified including the Canning House and the Chatham house events. Other suggestions fro longer term advocacy activities were also made including identifying potential audiences and specific DfID consultations to engage with.
5.b. Managua meeting
Between the six PPA NGOs who received extra funding for the region and DfID team to discuss the RAP for Central America and the Caribbean region.
Care and WWF who attended the meeting fed back: it was good as a space for information sharing between NGOs. However, it was a bit disappointing in terms of information provided by DfID (nothing really new). The focus for the region remains governance, market access, climate change, HIV/AIDS and security for the Caribbean region. DfID requested CS to help them to show that programmes are having an impact in the region and that they are efficiently spending their money. / Claire from Christian Aid will draft a letter to DFID and will forward it to the SC. The letter will then be circulated for comments.
For the next meeting gather information on possible bilateral actions (lobby MPs) and collective actions (link up with other organization that might be interesting in raise the profile of LA – ODI, Chatham House, Canning House etc).
Compile contacts among the LACG members of potential allies for our long-term advocacy activities by September..
The DfID consultation on the World Bank will be discussed in the next meeting.
LAC Bond members should investigate within their own organisation and advocacy team potential avenues for LAC group advocacy activities. To be discussed in the next meeting.
  1. Update on EU and LA trade agreement process
Claire from Christian Aid gave a comprehensive update on this process focusing more on the Central American region. She reflected on the process followed by the EU to develop the ToRs on the sustainability impact assessments, the mechanisms for civil society’s involvement and shifts of the new EU strategy papers towards trade and economic growth, highlighting the concerns of some NGOs on these issues. Claire invited LACG members to join this EU trade working group. She highlighted that the Chatham House event on 12th September - from 11am to 1pm on trade and policy will be a good opportunity to raise issues of concern. / Claire to share with the group some links with relevant information for those interested on aid policy
  1. Climate change in the Region by WWF
As part of the presentations on issues of interest agreed in the previous meetings, WWF made a presentation on its work in the region. Handouts were distributed and those interested can get a copy by contacting directly Sarah.
It was not clear which topic will be presented in the next meeting but there were at least three offers of presentations after October. / Gaia to find out who was responsible for the other presentations and check if interest still exists.
  1. BOND update
Fiona Howie gave an update on the first ever Working Groups meeting that took place recently. A small Steering group was established to discuss the development of a policy for joint responses. The ToRs for this group have been drafted and will be circulated. A representative of the LACG will be part of this group. The group will meet in August.
Fiona reminded everyone who has not yet submitted the updated matrix to do so. / Gaia to contact Rebecca and identify who will be representing the LACG in this meeting.
  1. Next meeting
Date: 20th September 14-16
Venue: Christian Aid Offices
Chairperson: SC member to be defined / Proposed agenda.
- Update on DfID (join letter to Malik Shahid and other possible collective and bilateral actions).
Feedback Chatham House event on trade and policy
- Feedback from WGs
- DFID working goup, aim and members (SC?)
- Discussion on advocacy
- identify who will be representing the LACG in the BOND goup that is discussing the development of a policy for joint responses. The
- Inputs to DfID’s WB consultation
- Discussion on how to better define a list of issues of interest, and, if we have time, presentation of an issue of interest.

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