29th Annual Meeting of the Cooperation Focal Points of the CPLP suggests guidelines for the nineteenth Council of Ministers of the CPLP
The 29th Annual Meeting of the Cooperation Focal Points, which took place on 17 and 18 July 2014, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, in Dili, resulted in several conclusions on the work done by the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) and some guidelines for the 19th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the CPLP, scheduled for July 22, also in Dili.
Focal Points concluded, in this two-day meeting, that during the Presidency of Mozambique (August 2012 and June 2014) the dynamics observed in the " Cooperation pillar" were positive, with an increase of proposed activity and increased visibility and recognition of the role of the CPLP.
Also during these last two years, there has been an increase in the community agenda for issues related to Food and Nutrition Security in CPLP (central question of the Presidency of Mozambique), and a consolidation of the intervention of the "cooperation pillar " on three fundamental pillars: training and institutional strengthening; education for citizenship; and development and human rights.
At this meeting, the Focal Points highlighted the cooperation potential of five sectors, already present in the cooperation framework of CPLP: Youth, Oceans or Seas, Civil Society and social participation, Energy Resources and Human Rights. To achieve the objectives, it is suggested the strengthening of the work methodology already being used that enables the establishment and expansion of partnerships with various development partners.
The analysis of known records showed that the cooperation has been steadily growing within the CPLP, particularly since 2008, establishing itself as one of the main hallmarks of the Organization.
In February 2013, the implementation of the Indicative Cooperation Programme (ICP) exceeded the historical value of 10 million Euros (over 13,500 million U.S. dollars).
The tracking and monitoring of ongoing activities in the ICP allow observing a quite satisfactory degree of efficiency and effectiveness. More than 95 per cent of its activities are running or nearing completion.
More than 85 percent of the activities (projects and specific actions) completed achieved the expected results. The financial implementation of these activities is also worth recording, highlighting some savings compared to the initial estimates, which shows a good level of governance of the amounts placed in the CPLP Special Fund managed by the Executive Secretariat.
The Focal Points presented the following Proposed Activities:
- Project Proposal "PLATFORM SKAN CPLP - mechanism for sharing of knowledge and technology between the CPLP Member States for the development of the agrifood sector" (Phase 1);
- Project Proposal "Capacity Building Program of the National Statistical Systems of PALOP countries and Timor / Leste" - Phase 3 (2014/2015);
- Proposed Activity "Technical Assistance to the Information Centre on Social Protection - CIPS - Phase III"; and
- Proposed Activity "Training of Trainers on Combating Trafficking of Human Beings for Professionals of the Criminal Justice System."
As a reflection, the following topics were discussed:
- CPLP Campaign "United against Hunger";
- II Conference of Electronic Government of CPLP; and
- Project for the Promotion and Dissemination of Portuguese Language in the SADC area.
In this meeting was also provided information on the follow up that the Executive Secretariat of the CPLP performs on various projects and activities, such as Development Support of Craft Production in São Tomé and Príncipe; Training Program of the National Statistical Systems, PALOPs and Timor-Leste; the CPLP in Schools program, among others.
Present at the meeting were all Cooperation Focal Points, with the exception of Guinea-Bissau. The meeting was addressed by the new Coordinator of the Meeting of the Cooperation Focal Points and Official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste, Lídia Martins, after receiving the coordination responsibilities from the Cooperation focal point of Mozambique Albertina Mac Donald. On the table, was the Cooperation Director of the Executive Secretariat of the CPLP, Manuel Clarote Lapão. The General Director of the CPLP, Georgina Benrós de Mello, was also present at the opening and closing sessions of the meeting.
The Cooperation Focal Points meet ordinarily twice a year and, extraordinarily, when requested by two-thirds of the member states.
The 29th Annual Meeting of the Cooperation Focal Points predates the 19th Council of Ministers of the CPLP, scheduled for July 22, also in Dili. When it coincides with the Conference of Heads of State and Government or the Council of Ministers Meeting, the Meeting of the Cooperation Focal Points takes place in the city hosting the event. In other cases, the meeting takes place at the headquarters of CPLP, in Lisbon.
