Brainstorming on Triangular Co-operation with Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia-Pacific – Lisbon, 2023

The GPI, in partnership with GIZ through the Regional Fund for Triangular Cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean and the Fund for Triangular Co-operation with Asia, and the OECD, hosted a brainstorming discussion at the margins of the 7th International Meeting on Triangular Co-operation.

The event aimed at facilitating an interactive and open brainstorming session among triangular co-operation actors in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Asia-Pacific (cooperation agencies, public representatives, think tanks, etc.). It fostered an open and participatory environment to inspire meaningful discussion and idea-sharing.

In session 1, participants from LAC collectively reflected on the current state of triangular co-operation in the region, taking stock of the unique experiences of the region with a focus on strategies for continuing to extend these practices on a global scale to other regions, with African, Asian and MENA partners. In session 2, Asia-Pacific representatives joined the discussion. It was an interactive and open brainstorming session among triangular co-operation actors between these two regions to identify opportunities for enhancing inter-regional co-operation.

Key messages:

• Building trust is a long-term and highly important investment.
• We should increase the efforts to communicate more and better the impacts of triangular co-operation.
• Regional organisations have proven essential to scale up triangular partnerships and can be a catalyst for inter-regional co-operation.
• We should strengthen the links of global discussions on development co-operation with triangular co-operation, particularly relevant in the upcoming Brazilian presidency of the G20, and the trilateral co-operation focus for the Development Working Group (DWG).
• The often-existing bilateral bias in many organisations reduces the opportunities for considering triangular co-operation. This is especially true for inter-regional co-operation, as most agencies are structured with a regional focus. We need to overcome these institutional bottlenecks to fully unlock the potential of the modality and facilitate new partnership arrangements.
• Innovative mechanisms for financing triangular co-operation, such as mixed funds, are a relevant tool for scaling up triangular co-operation.