From 11 -15 November 2013, the Designated Team Members (DTMs) for eight IAEA technical cooperation (TC) projects developed under the Regional Coordination Agreement for Latin America (ARCAL) met with ARCAL Representatives in Vienna to discuss the delivery of the regional TC programme. The meeting supported the efforts undertaken by the Division for Latin America and the Caribbean (TCLA) to improve the regional TC programme in Latin America and the Caribbean and deliver better results in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Similar strategic and planning meetings have been held throughout 2012 and 2013.
The DTM has an important role as project leader in implementing TC project activities and coordinating with other team members at the regional level. Together with national project counterparts, ARCAL representatives and IAEA staff (including Programme Management Officers (PMOs) and Technical Officers (TOs)), the DTM ensures the successful delivery of the TC programme through good project planning and implementation practices.
The meeting was held to enhance the planning and coordination of TC project activities, especially at the initial stage, to ensure a smooth start for TC projects.
During the first two days of the meeting, the DTMs interacted with ARCAL Representatives and ARCAL National Coordinators, who coordinate the different thematic areas, to familiarize themselves with specific ARCAL-related issues, including partnerships, communication, monitoring and regional impact, among others.
Enhancing communication was raised as a top priority issue. IAEA-funded technical cooperation projects proposed by ARCAL have a great impact in the region; however, this impact does not always reach decision makers and the general public. The meeting participants agreed that more visibility needs to be given to the work of ARCAL and the IAEA in supporting countries in the region to achieve their development goals in areas such as human health, agriculture or environmental protection. IAEA staff presented various tools and means used by the IAEA to enhance communication, partnership building and monitoring during project implementation.
The following two days were devoted to project-specific coordination meetings between the DTMs, PMOs and TOs of the respective projects. The objective was to consolidate planning efforts and implementation strategies. The work carried out by the project teams will ensure a smooth initiation of the projects in 2014.
On the last day of the meeting, a plenary session was organized in order to share experiences and to present the way forward. The steering committee of the ARCAL Board of Representatives, chaired by HE Ambassador Horacio Alberto Nogués Zubizarreta, joined the meeting to receive first-hand information about the work carried out during the week. The Ambassador expressed great satisfaction with the information received and underlined the critical importance of communication and partnership for the ARCAL agreement. He also recognized the importance of bringing together project teams for planning and strategic purposes before starting the cycle.