The Road to Hemispheric Cooperation: Beyond the Cartagena

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Table 4: Latin America: Science and Technology Support Fund Models Type of Fund Features Weakness Funds based on demand- ● Funding from governments and international agen- ● Can exacerbate differences between actors: the side subsidies (Argentina, cies most proactive actors with the greatest technologi- Chile, Colombia, Costa ● Horizontality cal capacity are selected, leaving out those most in Rica and Mexico) ● Direct allocation to beneficiaries via competitive need of developing this capacity selection and evaluation ● There is no way to keep the funds from indirectly financing non-S&T related activities ● Awareness policies are needed to promote knowledge and use of the funds Funds based on ● Resources from higher-revenue productive sectors ● Coordination is complex, and there are conflicts of coordinating S&T supply ● Allocated with a shared strategic vision (scientific interest among ministries (schools and research community, entrepreneurs, ministries) ● Management conflicts arise because of the high centers) and demand ● Sector-based selectivity amount of funding (productive sector) (Brazil) ● Promote S&T research via cooperation between universities and businesses Source: ECLAC, Innovating, Gaining Market Ahare and Fostering Social Inclusion: Success Stories in SME Development (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2011). novation; they should use these openings for collaboration. In recent years, the countries of the region have made some progress in expanding their coordination in science, technology and innovation—but not enough to generate synergies that impact decisions relating to trade, investment and international partnerships involving technology businesses and innovation. Toward the end of 2008, several countries signed the Mechanism for Regional Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation Policies, which should continue to be promoted. Its purpose is to address challenges in managing and implementing science, technology and innovation policies. The dialogue would help to increase the available critical mass both at the human resources and financial levels for conducting large-scale projects. Doing so would bring together fragmented research efforts in order to generate synergies among the various scientific and technological development efforts. This open, informal forum would allow discussion on substantive topics relating to science, technology and innovation policies of regional interest. Also, the private sector—especially in the information technology industry in countries such as Colombia, Mexico and several Central American countries—has been signing cooperation agreements to create synergies through initiatives, strategic partnerships and joint activities. These efforts are aimed at encouraging the opening of new markets, designing and executing training and technology transfer programs, coordinating and supporting events to disseminate knowledge on software and ICT, and promoting experience-sharing among countries. In the context of the knowledge economy, innovation and competitiveness cannot be properly fostered without trained human resources, especially in fields in which the region has (or might acquire) competitive advantages. The linkages between the educational system and the productive system must be strengthened to allow the former to provide the skills needed by the latter. Much could be gained from sharing innovative, successful experiences on curricula, management, the adoption of new technologies, teacher training and refresher courses, online classrooms and distance education. ECLAC has advanced several proposals for further strengthening cooperation on innovation and competitiveness in LAC countries. 18 Examples include: creating or establishing regional forums, funds or foundations to promote, study and fund innovation programs/projects; preparing annual reports on regional innovation initiatives; identifying programs to encourage socially excluded young people and women to enter the ICT field; developing regional capacities in effective ICT (e.g., e-government, ICT-related industries such as creative and cultural industries and those involved in software production); expanding high-speed networks; strengthening health; and improving education. The Road to Hemispheric Cooperation: Beyond the Cartagena Summit of the Americas The Brookings Institution ❘ Latin America Initiative 18
Opportunities for Cooperation in Innovation with the United States Fruitful initiatives and important collaboration are already taking place between the United States and several countries (United States and Brazil, United States and Chile, Canada and Brazil, to name a few). Most recently the United States and Brazil reaffirmed their commitment to “recognize the importance of science, technology and innovation.” In March 2012, the U.S.-Brazil Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology (originally created in 1984) agreed to expand initiatives in a wide range of areas to include: strengthened ecosystem, ocean science and space weather research; collaboration on nanotechnology development; managing and monitoring of natural disasters; and improved measurement standards for biofuels. They also agreed to expand academic and research partnerships in health science, with particular focus on influenza, HIV/AIDS and the prevention of noncommunicable diseases. In each of these areas, existing ministries, national institutes and working groups and the private sectors (as feasible) will work together to develop and encourage information sharing, shared access to user facilities, exchange of students, scientists and scholars, and joint research projects. Aspects of this arrangement can be found in other science and technology agreements into which the United States has entered, including with Chile (1992), Colombia (2010) and Uruguay (2008). Thus is appears likely that an expanded agenda that seeks to foster mutually advantageous cooperation in innovation in the Americas could be developed in the following areas, among others: ●● Strengthening cooperation on science, technology, and education. It would desirable to deepen and expand joint initiatives on research and development projects in areas such as ICT, agriculture, green technologies and nanotechnology, to name a few. ●● Encouraging cooperation among universities focused on innovation and technology. These efforts should be geared toward promoting two-way work internships and higher education exchanges, particularly between research and higher education institutions in the fields of science, technology, environmental studies and math. ●● Improving collaboration and technical assistance directed toward strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises, including their technological upgrading and use of ICT to increase productivity. ●● Fostering the competitiveness and internationalization of firms, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), by promoting alliances between firms from the LAC countries and the United States, paying particular attention to the accession of SMEs to regional value chains. Endnotes 1 Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2011 (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2011). 2 ECLAC, Social Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean, 2011 (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2011). See also ECLAC, Time for Equality: Closing gaps, Opening Trails (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2010). 3 ECLAC, Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2011 (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2012). 4 ECLAC, Broadband for Development and Inclusion, document prepared for the Sixth Summit of the Americas, Cartagena, Colombia (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2011); ECLAC, ICT for Growth and Equality: Renewing Strategies for the Information Society, Third Ministerial Conference on the Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean, Lima, Peru (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2010); ECLAC and Secretaría General Iberoamericana (SEGIB), Espacios Iberoamericanos: La economía del Conocimiento (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2008). 5 ECLAC, Structural Change and Productivity Growth—20 Years Later: Old Problems, New Opportunities (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2008); ECLAC, Globalization and Development (Santiago, Chile: United Nations, 2002). 6 ECLAC, Structural Change and Productivity Growth – 20 Years Later, 2008. 7 For more information regarding innovations surveys throughout the region, please see: ECLAC, Structural Change and Productivity Growth 20 Years Later, 2008. 8 In preparation for the Sixth Summit of the Americas, the Government of Colombia requested that ECLAC prepare inputs on access and use of technologies, with particular concern with broadband use. See ECLAC, Broadband for Development and Inclusion, 2011. The Road to Hemispheric Cooperation: Beyond the Cartagena Summit of the Americas The Brookings Institution ❘ Latin America Initiative 19
Page 1 and 2: THE ROAD TO HEMISPHERIC COOPERATION
Page 3 and 4: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Latin America
Page 5 and 6: INTRODuCTION Ted Piccone I Senior F
Page 7 and 8: fOSTERINg A CulTuRE Of INNOvATION I
Page 9 and 10: Technology and Innovation Innovatio
Page 11 and 12: Figure 1: Latin America (5 Countrie
Page 13 and 14: Figure 3: Affordability of Fixed Br
Page 15 and 16: Figure 5: Percentage of Internet Pe
Page 17: the demand for innovation. Policies
Page 21 and 22: COMMENTARy by CAROl gRAHAM Senior F
Page 23 and 24: include free trade agreements (FTAs
Page 25 and 26: mented by Latin American countries.
Page 27 and 28: $350 billion in 2010, with China di
Page 29 and 30: The current situation is important:
Page 31 and 32: EDuCATION IN THE AMERICAS: WHAT THE
Page 33 and 34: Graph 2. Student Performance and Te
Page 35 and 36: Graph 5. Percentage of Students at
Page 37 and 38: Graph 7. Difference in Mean Scores
Page 39 and 40: generally carry no consequences. At
Page 41 and 42: access to and use of technology, an
Page 43 and 44: 23 J. Enrique Hinostroza and Christ
Page 45 and 46: PROMOTINg ENERgy SECuRITy AND TACkl
Page 47 and 48: the governments of the Western Hemi
Page 49 and 50: Brazil, in turn, leads an initiativ
Page 51 and 52: agencies, including Spain’s Ibero
Page 53 and 54: as many scientists believe, this pa
Page 55 and 56: footnotes 1 A full copy of the repo
Page 57 and 58: 24 Repsol is a privately held Spani
Page 59 and 60: PublIC SECuRITy CHAllENgES IN THE A
Page 61 and 62: Figure 1.2 Homicide rates in Latin
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operations by transnational syndica
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This is, in essence, what enabled t
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Inequality, and Firearm Violent Cri
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COMMENTARy by vANDA fElbAb-bROWN Fe
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THE INTER-AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC CHART
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The process began with modification
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A little over 12 years later in Hon
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5. Respect and Apply the IADC Regar
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vide political or technical assista
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1978. For the criteria used in dete
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While the current trend of inter-Am
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The Context The Summit of the Ameri
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(CAF). Other global institutions al
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●● There was an open and frank
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●● Eliminating the threat of na
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tive role in monitoring and evaluat
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15 Carlo Dade, “Will There Be Ano
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many Brazilian diplomats, the main
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1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washi
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