With the participation of officials responsible for international cooperation from Member States and allied organisations, the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) held a webinar entitled “Towards the XXXIII Meeting of International Cooperation Directors: opportunities and challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean,” with the aim of discussing Circular Economy policies and projects through South-South and Triangular Cooperation in the region.

On behalf of the Permanent Secretariat of SELA, the Coordinator of the Social Development Area, Gustavo Herrera, pointed out that this activity was conceived “to strengthen partnerships, update instruments, identify areas of technical and political convergence, connect national agendas with multilateral agendas, and translate vision into action.”

“Cooperation is not just about sharing; cooperation is about co-designing, co-producing and co-creating measurable, sustainable results with regional impact,” he stressed, adding that “at SELA, we seek to strengthen the technical and political foundations of our regional cooperation in order to move towards a more equitable, innovative and integrated development model.”

He also assured that SELA will remain committed to “the path of generating knowledge, bringing together stakeholders and promoting consensus.”

During the event, Counsellor Luisa Solchaga, Director General of Cooperation Policy at the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID), emphasised that this meeting “provides a space that allows us to promote dialogue and reflection on the future of cooperation in our region.”

She also expressed her gratitude for the opportunities provided by SELA in convening and inviting the excellent panellists. “This is a very valuable prelude to the upcoming meeting of Cooperation Directors,” she added.

The Counsellor also congratulated SELA “for its constant commitment to this determined effort that allows us to promote regional cooperation as an instrument for sustainable development, institutional strengthening and the development of our countries.”

“I am sure that this seminar will contribute significantly to the advancement of South-South and Triangular Cooperation, promoting a more comprehensive, transparent and effective approach,” said the Counsellor.

For her part, the Executive Director of the Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation (APCI), Noela Pantoja Crespo, urged continued promotion of innovative financing mechanisms for development, including South-South and Triangular Cooperation, in priority areas such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence. “We are convinced that together we will build the path towards truly sustainable and inclusive development that benefits all our peoples,” said Pantoja.

Throughout seven panels, the webinar featured the participation of: Carlos José Hernández Graciano, Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic; Willian Deleón Flores, Deputy Director General of the El Salvador Agency for International Cooperation (ESCO); Fabiola Viera Núñez, Head of the International Negotiations and Monitoring Department, Cooperation Division, Chilean Agency for International Development Cooperation (AGCID); and Bruno Sotomayor, Specialist in International Relations and Global Analysis, Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation (APCI).

It also featured special presentations by Henrique Pacini and Ludovic Arnaud from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); Auribel Villa Avendaño, Technical Coordinator of the Procep Project and focal point for the circular economy at German Technical Cooperation (GIZ); and Héctor Dada Sánchez, Director of the Subregional Office for Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America at the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB).

Through this initiative, conceived as a prelude to the XXXIII Meeting of Cooperation Directors in 2026, SELA reiterates the importance of the Meeting of Directors as a consolidated platform for regional dialogue, which for more than three decades has promoted the exchange of ideas, experiences and best practices in the areas of cooperation and development assistance.

The webinar “Towards the XXXIII Meeting of International Cooperation Directors: opportunities and challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean” is available on SELA’s YouTube channel.