Regional event in Ecuador brings government officials and project teams together to share IFAD programme implementation strategies

Quito, 1 May 2010 – Representatives from six South American countries will meet with officials of the International Fund for Agricultural Development in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, from 3 to 7 May to discuss issues related to IFAD’s effectiveness in implementation of its rural poverty alleviation projects in the Andean region.

Over 70 participants from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Venezuela will attend the event, according to organizers, including several Ministers of Finance, Planning and Agriculture. Representatives from the numerous agencies – and project teams – implementing IFAD co-financed projects in the region will also attend the five-day workshop hosted by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Finance and IFAD.

“By sharing experiences with decision makers from across the Andes – especially representatives from the organizations that implement the projects in the region – we hope to build a broader knowledge base for all involved, and better our ability to support project implementation in the Andean region,” said Josefina Stubbs, Director of IFAD’s Latin America and the Caribbean Division.

One of the highlights of the event is a high-level panel on projects and public policy. The Ecuadorian Minister of Finance, Patricio Rivera, is expected to introduce the panel members, which will include at least three ministers, according to event organizers.

Before the conference, Riviera underlined the importance of IFAD’s support to Ecuador and other Andean nations in driving forward projects that directly benefit the rural areas in the region. The Minister also highlighted the importance of hosting the conference in Esmeraldas, which sits near the Colombian border, saying that it demonstrates the Ecuadorian government’s interest in investing in the productive and social well-being of the people living in the region.

“In addition to the programmed sessions on increasing implementation effectiveness, action plans on the best ways to support these projects will be drawn between the countries, project officials and IFAD teams,” said Francisco Pichón, IFAD’s Country Program Manager for Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela. “This will allow everyone involved to better integrate IFAD project implementation strategies – and the national policies they support – into programmes and projects that facilitate results on the ground. These strategies should be consistent with country needs and inclusive development agendas.”

Notes to Editors

For more information on IFAD’s operations in the Andean region, visit the website

Press release No.: IFAD/32/2010

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) works with poor rural people to enable them to grow and sell more food, increase their incomes and determine the direction of their own lives. Since 1978, IFAD has invested over US$12 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries, empowering more than 370 million people to break out of poverty. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized UN agency based in Rome – the UN’s food and agricultural hub. It is a unique partnership of 165 members from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), other developing countries and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).