Latin American & Caribbean Group

Chair

Gaia Gozzo
CARE International UK
Email:
gozzo@careinternational.org

The Latin American & Caribbean Group is a forum through which UK based agencies working in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) can engage on common issues and share knowledge and learning to help raise the profile of the LAC area, and to engage in policy and practice with other key actors and stakeholders.

The Group was formed in the summer of 2005 following a consultation for DFID's Regional Assistance Plan for Latin American Region. The Group meets every 3 months, hosted alternately by member NGOs.

Group News

New Steering Committee structure - August 2008

The new Steering Committee structure has been approved by the group and is:

Chair
Gaia Gozzo (CARE International UK )

Steering Committee
Angela Murray (The Toybox Charity)
Glevys Rondon (LAMMP)
Andrew Croggon (Christian Aid)
Belisario Nieto (Progressio)
Samira Yussuf (CODA International)
Robert Gillen (World Vision UK)

Thank you and welcome to you all!

New LACG 'bubble' to work on EU-LAC relationships - July 2008

At the last LACG meeting the group discussed setting up a temporary sub-group or 'bubble' to work on EU-LAC relationships. Constantino Casasbuenas from Oxfam has pulled together a proposal for the group, see below:

Objectives of the bubble:
1. To share relevant information about key topics in civil society agenda in LAC, within the fields of trade, agriculture, extractives and other relevant themes considered by the group to be important.

2. To influence the EU-LAC negotiations by implementing lobby meetings with key targets in the UK

3. To campaign and influence EU and UK

Considering that the trade negotiations will last until the end of 2009, we are proposing this ad-hoc team's life to be until the end of 2009.

To register your interest and availability for the first bubble meeting (planned for 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 or 29 August), please fill in your availability here by Monday 4 August.

If your organisation is able to host the meeting please let us know.

We will let you know the final date and venue after Monday 4 August 2008.

Meeting - 3 June 2008

The LACG last met on 3 June at the One World Action offices. Paul Spray, Head of LAC at DFID, attended the meeting to give an update on DFID. There was a presentation from La Coordinadora Civil and from Costantino Casasbuenas from Oxfam on "la cumbre de los pueblos". The meeting discussed the group's structure, advocacy targets and the way ahead.

The meeting elected 4 new steering committee members to join the 3 current members - Gaia Gozzo from CARE International UK, Angela Murray from the Toybox Charity and Glevys Rondon from LAMMP.

So a warm welcome to the new steering committee members:

- Andrew Croggon from Christian Aid

- Belisario Nieto from Progressio

- Samira Yussuf from CODA International

- Robert Gillen from World Vision UK

Please see the minutes of the 3 June meeting for more information.

Meeting - 7 February 2008

The LACG met on 7 February at the Progressio offices. The meeting discussed the December workshop and next steps, a review of the 2008 work plan, the Lima EU summit, and an update on the DFID meeting with Paul Spray.

Please see the minutes of the 7 February 2008 meeting for more information.

Strategy workshop and DFID meeting - 18 December 2007

The LACG met with Paul Spray, Head of LAC for DFID on 18 December 2007. This meeting was to follow up on the LACG's recent letter to DFID.

The LACG also held a strategy workshop on 18 December 2007 for all LACG members to agree on an advocacy position for the 2008 Lima Summit.

Meeting - 8 November 2007

The LACG last met on 8 November at the One World Action offices. The group reviewed main outcomes of September meeting's brainstorming exercise on LACG advocacy targets, events and issues and discussed the LACG's advocacy message.

Romina Vegro and Marco Serena, BOND's EU Policy Officer and European Campaigns Officer, gave updates on current EU LAC advocacy opportunities including the EU Latin American Summit in Lima in May 2008.

The group decided to hold a workshop to discuss and agree on their official political message and position on advocacy for the forthcoming Lima Summit (May 2008), mainly targeting UK government (DFID, DTI, etc) and the European Union. This workshop will be held on 18 December at Christian Aid. See further details below. It would be great if a representative from all LACG member organisations could attend this strategy meeting.

Please see the minutes of the 8 November 2007 meeting for more information.

Meeting - 20 September 2007

The LACG met on Thursday 20 September 2007 at the Christian Aid offices. The meeting received feedback from the sub working groups, talked about the DFID sub working group aims and discussed advocacy opportunities. Rebecca Evans from BOND also gave an update about BOND and engagement opportunities for the group. For more information about this meeting, please see the minutes of the 20 September 2007 meeting.

Group matrix - August 2007

Matrix of the Latin American and Caribbean Group members' activities (74KB)

Meeting - 19 July 2007

The group met on 19 July 2007 at the WWF Borough offices. At the meeting, Pedro Gonzalez from UNAIS stepped down from the Steering Group. Thank you very much to Pedro for all his hard work as part of the LAC group and on the Steering Group (and the temporary Steering Group). Best wishes to Pedro for the future.

Thank you also to Miranda Clarke from CARE International UK, who has had to step down from the Steering Group. Miranda nominated her colleague Gaia Gozzo to represent Care International in her place and this was accepted by the group.

At the meeting on 19 July, Sonia Martins from LEPRA and Angela Murrray from The Toybox Charity were also accepted onto the Steering Group. Welcome to Gaia, Sonia and Angela! For more information, please see the minutes of the 19 July 2007 meeting.

Meeting - 16 April 2007

A new Steering Group was elected at the LACG meeting on 16 April 2007. The new group are Miranda Clarke from CARE International UK, Pedro Gonzalez from UNAIS and Rebeca E. Zúniga-Hamlin from the Central America Women's Network (CAWN). For more information, please see the minutes of the 16 April 2007 meeting.

Thank you to the temporary Steering Group (Andy Croggon from Christian Aid, Tessa Mackensie from CAWN, Pedro Gonzalez from UNAIS and Belisario Nieto from Progressio) for all their hard work in planning for the April meeting.

Chair standing down - January 2007

After 18 months as Chair of the LACG, Catriona Rust from World Vision UK stepped down to take up a secondment in Central America. Thank you very much to Catriona for all her dedication and hard work in the role, and very best wishes for the year ahead.

Meeting - 18 January 2007

The LACG met on 18 January 2007 at the Care International UK offices to plan for the year ahead. Please see the minutes of the 18 January meeting for more information.

2006 activities

Some LAC Group members met with DFID on 6 November 2006. For more information, please see the minutes of the 6 November meeting

The LACG met on 7 September 2006 at HelpAge International. Please see the minutes of the 7 September meeting for more information.

The Group were invited to attend a seminar organised by DFID on 12 July 2006. Humberto Lopez, Senior Economist in the Office of the Chief Economist for the LAC region at the World Bank, presented a report of the World Bank's new flagship publication for the LAC region. The publication, Poverty Reduction and Growth: Virtuous and Vicious Circles makes new recommendations on boosting growth and reducing poverty at the same time.

The Latin American and Caribbean Group met with DFID on 31 May 2006 to begin discussions around working together. DFID reported that they are keen to work with the LACG, though they do have time and capacity constraints. They see the LACG as important for keeping up-to-date with regional developments and for networking purposes. The LACG shared with DFID its work done to date and there was general discussion around the situation in the region and the Regional Assistance Plan. Please see the minutes of the 31 May meeting for more information.

The Latin America & Caribbean Group met on 25 May 2006 at WWF. Items discussed included the middle-income countries debate; inequality and poverty; a report from the EU-LAC meeting in Vienna; and an update on the BOND fundraising group. Please see the minutes of the 25 May meeting for more information.

The Group made a submission to the DFID White Paper consultation (93 KB) on 7 April.

The Group met on 23 February 2006 at Christian Aid. Discussion included the LAC Summit in Vienna in May, with a presentation by Constantino Casasbuenas of Oxfam; the DFID White Paper consultation and ways for the Group to respond; and organising a meeting with members of DFID's Latin America team. Minutes are available above.

Future Meetings

Date: Thursday 18 September 2008

Time: 14.00 - 16.00

Venue: Christian Aid offices

To register: Email groups@bond.org.uk to register giving your name, organisation and specifying the LACG meeting

Agenda: An agenda will be circulated nearer the meeting

Membership of the LACG is open to all BOND members. If you are from a BOND member organisation and would like to be added to the LACG mailing list, please email groups@bond.org.uk giving your name and organisation.

Papers and Reports

Papers and Reports relating to the 4th EU-LAC Summit, Vienna, 12 May 2006

Christian Aid Report - On the Margins: Discrimination against Haitian migrants and their descendents in the Dominican Republic - English (500 KB)
EU Association Agreement with Central America - English (73.2 KB)
EU Association Agreement with Central America - Spanish (113 KB)
EU Association Agreement with Central America - English (22.5 KB)
EU Association Agreement with Central America - Spanish (37.5 KB)