EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

(Full text: Book_brazilian_cooperation%20WEB.pdf

The universal character of Brazil’s international insertion consolidated the country’s presence in debates on a wide range of issues and the sharing of best practices. In this context, the perceived need to promote the issue of development in the international agenda implied the diversification of the scope of Brazil’s role in international cooperation - in its multiple modalities and different sectors - with other countries and international organizations. Thus,
considering the potential impact on the development of other nations that share social and economic problems similar to those of Brazil, this cooperation has become acknowledged as an instrument of foreign policy.

In recent years, federal government agencies and entities intensified the allocation of part of their resources in projects aimed at promoting the development of various countries. However, this practice was not quantified nor systematized within the federal public administration, limiting the employment of this instrument for the execution of foreign
policy objectives and the recognition of the country’s contribution to the socioeconomic development of others countries.

The decentralized character of the actions implemented by institutions of the federal government poses a challenge to clearly defining the volume of investment in international cooperation; key factor in strengthening partnerships with countries, particularly those in the Southern Axis.

Therefore, aware of the importance of international cooperation for development, the Ministry of External Relations (MRE) proposed to the Presidency of the Republic (PR) the realization of the first survey of the Brazilian federal government resources invested with the purpose of contributing to the development of other countries. In January 2010,
in response to this demand, the MRE, through the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), and the Institute of Applied Economic Research (Ipea) established a partnership with the support of the Civil Office/PR for the realization of the first survey of these resources within the federal public administration, in order to identify, recover and systematize the
data and information on public investment for activities, projects and programs of Brazilian Cooperation for International Development in the period 2005-2009.

In order to implement the survey, several meetings were held with the participating institutions, deepening the understanding of the definition of this cooperation and the characteristics and peculiarities of its various modalities, which allowed the consolidation of a methodology for the process. From these meetings, a common definition was reached which served as basis for the collection of data; namely the Brazilian Cooperation for International Development is “The total funds invested by the Brazilian federal government, entirely as non-repayable grants, in governments of other countries, in nationals of other countries in Brazilian territory or in international organizations
with the purpose of contributing to international development, understood as the strengthening of the capacities of international organizations and groups or populations of other countries to improve their socioeconomic conditions”.

Throughout 2010, surveying was successfully administered, spearheaded by the federal government organisms and entities, collecting data along their departments. Data was obtained from agencies of direct administration and related entities of the federal government, consolidating significant information on actions, projects and activities. Once calculated the value of the investment made, it was found that the total volume in the last five years reached R$ 2,898,526,873.49, divided between the modalities of humanitarian aid, scholarship for foreigners, technical, scientific and technological cooperation, and contributions to international organizations.

IPEA (Institute of Applied Economic Research) is a public foundation linked to the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic, Ipea provides technical and institutional support to government actions – enabling the formulation of numerous public policies and programs for Brazilian development – and makes research and studies conducted by its technicians available to society.