From Korea to Bolivia and from Bolivia to Ecuador: south-south cooperation for the experience interchange on local development

The south-south cooperation has gained new impetus in Latin America and the Caribbean. At par with the changes that the world of cooperation is experiencing, in which developing countries are acting as knowledge and experiences providers, our region is a stage of the increasing horizontal interchanges. Projects, initiatives, successful methodologies or technologies in one country cross the border to be adapted and replicated the new beneficiaries. In some instances, this experience is possible with the support of third parties, even those external to the region. This is the case of the Local Development Project “New Communities” (Saemaul in Korean), financed by the South Korean cooperation and implemented in Bolivia, which will include a recent interchange with Ecuador.

The Saemaul project was created in the 1970's in South Korea to narrow the gaps between rural communities and poor people, and the industrial and booming cities. Thanks to this model the absolute poverty rates dropped from the 28% in 1970 to 11% in 1978 and influenced the great economic growth of Korea. Since this year, the Saemaul model began to be replicated, with the necessary adaptations, in six countries of Latin America, Asia and Africa; Bolivia is the country selected in our region.

Can a development model drafted in Korea in the 1970's offers development option to Bolivian communities in 2016? Can these same communities in Bolivia find inputs in populations with equivalent challenges in Ecuador? That is what the south-south cooperation is about: methodologies and principles that allow transferring and adapting knowledge across borders – and ages. In this case, the transfer of Saemaul methods to Latin America, Asia and Africa countries implies a south-south cooperation dimension per se. But at the same time, the projects that are currently implemented in each selected country have their own working line in south-south cooperation: they have to offer and look for knowledge in other latitudes.

In this framework a visit of a Bolivian delegation to Ecuador was organized. Promoted by the United Nations Development Programme, its objective was to encourage the production, commercialization and organization development for the sectors connected to dairy products, coffee, fabric, vegetables and community tourism. Six producers, two local authorities of the Sacaba and Tiquipaya municipalities (Cochabamba Department, in the center of the country) and two UNDP officials (Laura Fiorotto of the initiative Articulation of Territorial Network UNDP ART Bolivia and me) visited Ecuador. This interchange counted with the key support of the South-South Cooperation Team, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) in New York.

The agenda included various production initiatives undertaken by the communities of cantons of Pichincha and Imbabura provinces (centre-north of Ecuador), with the support of the Small Grants Programme.

My personal impression of the value of the these interchanges was confirmed by the beneficiaries. The Bolivian producers and farmers assured me that this experience provided them valuable ideas and guidelines, and new opportunities that will be put into practice in their community undertakings in Bolivia. In the mean time, Ecuadorian farmers emphasized the potential of various aspects of the Saemaul model to be implemented in their respective regions.

This cooperation modality, which connects an Asian offerer to countries in South America, is one on the many south-south or triangular cooperation options. The south-south cooperation continues making important contribution to the development and the lives of the people. With the new Sustainable Development Goals initiating their work, this cooperation modality is to be a fundamental tool to deal with the development challenges in social, economy and environment.

 

SOURCE: 17 December 2015 Pablo Basz, regional specialist in South-South Cooperation, UNDP Latin America and the Caribbean / http://www.undp.org