Source: SAF-projects

On February 29, in the West Hall of the Presidential Palace in Brasilia, the Federal Government will launch the South-South Decentralized Technical Cooperation Program. The program aims at encouraging states and municipalities to develop technical cooperation projects for the benefit of their counterparts "">in developing countries.
 
This is an unprecedented initiative, the result of a partnership between the Department of Institutional Relations (SRI) of the Presidency, through the "Subchefia de Assuntos Federativos" (SAF), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (  ">ABC).
 
After launching the program, local governments and state agencies - demanded by beneficiary countries to provide technical cooperation - will be able to submit proposals by the deadlines of June 29 and August 31. Once approved, they will receive support from ABC to develop the project,   ">organize missions, plan and implement activities.
 
  ">Proposals will be evaluated by a Technical Committee comprised of representatives of the Federal Government, states and municipalities, with reference to the objective technical criteria, as detailed in the Program.
 
It is expected that projects are developed based on successful experiences of subnational governments in the areas of health, education, public safety, local governance, territorial development, sustainable agriculture, food security, restoration and conservation of heritage, sport and leisure,   ">technological innovation and scientific development, environment and climate change, vocational training, culture and strengthening of skills to achieve the Millennium Goals.
 
  ">The total budget for the program is $2 million in two years. Each project may submit a budget of up to $200,000 for implementation within one year.
 
As a way to guide states and municipalities nationwide on how to submit proposals and give greater visibility to the initiative, five regional seminars will be held during March and April to engage governments,   ">the private sector and local civil society (NGOs and associations).
 
In recent years, Brazil has been changing the profile of its political and technical cooperation and consolidating as a provider country aminly to Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. According to the study "Brazilian Cooperation for International Development: 2005-2009", organized by IPEA and ABC, the resources invested by the Brazilian Government to contribute to the development of other countries reached about 3 billion dollars.  ">
 
Similarly, cities and states in Brazil have been increasing their international cooperation activities. The idea of supporting international cooperation avtivities of subnational entities through federal funds gained momentum after the launch of the trilateral cooperation initiative Brazil-France-countries of Africa and Haiti in 2011, in which two projects involving the cities of Fortaleza and Guarulhos (Brazil"">), St Denis and Lyon (France), Porto Novo (Benin), Maputo and Matola (Mozambique) were selected.

(my own translation from Portuguese).