Technical Cooperation Agreement Research Articles

Aspects of the legal regime of institutional cooperation in anti-corruption

This paper analyzes the legal regime of institutional cooperation in anti-corruption. To this end, a clipping of the theme is carried out, addressing the genres of leniency agreements and the proposal for a Technical Cooperation Agreement (TCA, in Portuguese the acronym: ACT) signed by representatives of various institutions responsible for internal and external control, together with the Federal Supreme Court (FSC, in Portuguese the acronym: STF). The first part of this work presents the history of the legal institute in the national system and its different genres. Then, it addresses the TCA and the importance of cooperation between government institutions aiming at legal certainty and the strengthening of the institute. To this end, the work adopts the hermeneutic-dialectical method, and the exploratory research employs secondary data analysis, such as bibliographic and documentary research. It is concluded that the existence of a system that favors cooperation is important, with the preservation of the legal-functional criterion of each institution in the celebration of leniency agreements to guarantee the legal security of relations.

Technical Cooperation Agreement with Subnational Governments: Case Study of Plan Piauã 2030

Technical Cooperation Agreement with Subnational Governments: Case Study of Plan Piauã 2030

Linking nationwide health and social registry data to informthe policy for Tuberculosis contact tracing in Brazil.

ObjectivesMitigating the socioeconomic determinants of Tuberculosis (TB) and systematic screening of contacts and high-risk groups are targets of The World Health Organization (WHO) End TB Strategy by 2035. Our aim was to link socioeconomic information to TB datasets to inform policy makers in Brazil and contribute to addressing current challenges.
 ApproachFollowing a signed technical cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Health (MoH), we linked nationwide data on 1.405.682 registries of TB diagnosed between 2004 and 2019 in Brazil to 131.697.800 demographic and socioeconomic registries from the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort (2001-2018) previously linked to nationwide mortality data. We established close links with TB managers to understand the database, clean and deduplicate registries and to analyse the data. We took advantage of the data structure, to set up a cohort of household contacts of TB patients and produce estimates of TB incidence by subgroups of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
 ResultsThe interaction of the MoH was effective and facilitated by a robust TB Programme in the country. 567.999 (40,41%) TB cases were linked to the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort with high specificity (93.6%) and sensitivity (94.6%). Using family identifiers, we established the first TB case within a family unit (i.e., primary case) and followed their household contacts up to 15 years. We found the TB incidence among household contacts to be 427.8/100.000 person-years (95%CI 419.1-436.8). In the first year following the identification of the primary case, there was higher cumulative incidence among household contacts under 5 years of age, which was followed by a plateau of cases in this age group. Cummulative incidence in the other age groups presented a constant increase over time.
 ConclusionThe close collaboration with the MoH, the development of an effective linkage algorithm and the availability of large socioeconomic data allowed for a unique analysis of the high incidence of TB among household contacts. Findings reinforce need for constant dialogue among stakeholders to strengthen case detection by primary health care.

A Comparison Standard for Assessing the Adapted Version of the Brazilian Functionality Index

Background: This study aimed to determine the best method of achieving consensus between examiners and workers with disabilities in Brazil regarding their perceived severity of the disability and eligibility for an early retirement pension. Methods: We analysed the agreement between evaluators’ perceptions to create a reference standard for the classification of the disability severity of applicant workers with disabilities. Pairs of expert physicians and social workers applied a computer index, and then assigned their perceived level of severity, independent of the computer classification. Findings: A total of 17,350 applicants aged 18 and 76 years were included in the analysis. The best-perceived agreement represented the ideal comparison standard for validating the index in the future. The severity perceptions of the evaluators and the workers with disabilities yielded three agreement tables portraying the perceived disability severity. Physicians and social workers demonstrated the greatest level of agreement (weighted kappa: 0·2351, 95% confidence interval: 0·2229–0·2473) and the combination of their assessments provided the best standard. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that this method has been used to create a reference standard. Evaluators’ perceptions of disability severity formed the basis for choosing a standard to further analysis the index’s accuracy and validity. Funding Statement: This work was supported by a grant from the Brazilian Ministry of Social Security (No. 44000.001814/2013-60; FUB Technical Cooperation Agreement of 11/21/2013). Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: This research was conducted according to Brazilian regulations and in conformance with the Principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study protocol was approved by the Internal Review Board of the School of Health Sciences at the University of Brasilia, (CAAE number: 37058914.5.0000.0030). The requirement for informed consent for this database analysis was waived because the study was based on a retrospective analysis of routinely-collected data.

Cooperación e integración económica internacional entre China y Colombia

El documento presenta una discusión de la evolución de la integración económica entre Colombia y China en el siglo XXI desde distintas perspectivas: evolución del comercio exterior con énfasis en las principales exportaciones e importaciones; comportamiento de la inversión extranjera directa (IED), teniendo en consideración los acuerdos de cooperación técnica, económica y cultural bajo el esquema de cooperación internacional Sur-Sur; evidencia de un interés conjunto en avanzar hacia una integración económica profunda que favorezca la libre circulación de bienes y servicios. Además, se analizan los beneficios potenciales de una mayor integración económica entre ambos países, y se confirma que la economía China se considera como un actor relevante en el desarrollo económico de Colombia. Por último, se destacan los principales retos que debe enfrentar Colombia en este escenario de mayor integración y cooperación internacional.

UKRAINE AND KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: ESTABLISHING BILATERAL ONES ECONOMIC RELATIONS

The importance of the Persian Gulf region for Ukraine is due to the significant potential for mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation. Despite the fact that Ukraine is one of the energy-deficient countries, the possibilities of import or transit of energy from the Gulf states are quite limited. The priorities of Ukraine's policy in the region are the development of balanced, equal and mutually beneficial relations, strengthening Ukraine's economic position in the region's markets, maintaining security at the southern borders of our state, strengthening regional security and stability. Ukraine considers important cooperation in the field of exploration, development, arrangement and modernization of oil and gas fields, design and construction of oil and gas infrastructure, joint production of hydrocarbons in the two countries and attracting investment in the modernization of Ukraine's gas transportation system. The automobile industry can become a promising area of Saudi-Ukrainian cooperation. An important area is cooperation in space, in particular, in the joint production of artificial satellite systems. launch of Saudi satellites. The aim of the article is to analyze the size and relation of commercial and investment between Ukraine and KSA, through finding the figures of the main product or services that changed or procured by the two countries, with raining the main impact factors that effecting the trade on the country level, also witnessed cooperation in various fields, as in 2016 the Kingdom and Ukraine signed agreements, including the double taxation agreement, the investment protection agreement, and the economic and commercial framework agreement for commercial, economic, scientific and technical cooperation. The main exported commodities were plastics and their articles, machinery and machine tools and their parts, fertilizers, and various chemical products, in addition to ready-made clothes. While the main imported commodities in the same year were: cereals, iron and steel (steel), fats and animal or vegetable oils, made of iron or casting (steel), and meat, offal and edible parts.

International development cooperation as one of the triggers for the process of public policy transfer

On the one hand, transfer is a process by which governments intentionally use ideas about how policies in other countries work to design or redesign their own public policies (Dussauge, 2012). On the other hand, cooperation is a process that recognizes the existence of an interdependence between states and the international arena. This article aims to discuss and clarify the relation between international cooperation and policy transfer. Drawing on the analysis of development cooperation in Brazil and Chile, we discuss how technical cooperation agreements between these countries and third parties, encourage the transfer of public policies, in particular of those considered as models in the area of social policy, namely Bolsa Família and Chile Solidario. This article demonstrates that international development cooperation facilitates the existence of processes that allow for the transfer of specific components of social policies to other context. The analysis is based on a literature review and on information gathered through interviews conducted with relevant actors.

"O ETA em marcha”:

O texto analisa as relações entre os Estados Unidos da América e o governo brasileiro, firmadas a partir de Acordos de Cooperação Técnica, especialmente no tocante à educação rural. Sob essa ótica mais ampla, enfatiza-se o estudo da mais duradoura instituição brasileiro-americana estabelecida no país: o Escritório Técnico de Agricultura Brasileiro-Americano, criado no Rio de Janeiro em 1953. Por meio da análise de documentos produzidos por ambos os governos, procura-se demonstrar as estratégias de penetração da influência estadunidense na educação rural, em particular seu processo de ressignificação, de uma dimensão escolar voltada a crianças e jovens para outra destinada a qualificar, pelo e para o trabalho, o adulto rural analfabeto.

Jordanian relationship with European Community (Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement of 1977) Study of the Convention and its results and its subsequent effects

The study deals with the economic and technical cooperation of 1977 Agreement between Jordan and the European Community as a model for understanding the relationship, and studies its impact on the Jordanian economy, and the inequality in the relationship in fact and effect.The study seeks to answer the key question is how to understand the relationship of Jordan to the European Community in the light of the cooperation of the 1977 agreement as a model for understanding the relationship with the group and therest of other countries? And what it’s consequences on the Jordanian economy, and how this agreement affected the relations between Jordan and the European Community? The study uses the legal approach and the methodology of systems analysis, the study results, including that the Mediterranean region, Jordan part of it, is an important area for European countries politically and economically, and that the stability and growth of the region is essential for European reality; so the Mediterranean partner countries should be aware on one hand, and reins to take the initiative by asking issues boldly and transparently on the other hand. In addition, Jordan should re-evaluation its policies with the EU.

Jordanian relationship with European Community (Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement of 1977) Study of the Convention and its results and its subsequent effects

The study deals with the economic and technical cooperation of 1977 Agreement between Jordan and the European Community as a model for understanding the relationship, and studies its impact on the Jordanian economy, and the inequality in the relationship in fact and effect.The study seeks to answer the key question is how to understand the relationship of Jordan to the European Community in the light of the cooperation of the 1977 agreement as a model for understanding the relationship with the group and therest of other countries? And what it’s consequences on the Jordanian economy, and how this agreement affected the relations between Jordan and the European Community? The study uses the legal approach and the methodology of systems analysis, the study results, including that the Mediterranean region, Jordan part of it, is an important area for European countries politically and economically, and that the stability and growth of the region is essential for European reality; so the Mediterranean partner countries should be aware on one hand, and reins to take the initiative by asking issues boldly and transparently on the other hand. In addition, Jordan should re-evaluation its policies with the EU.

The Impact of Global Economic Integration on Africa in the 21st Century

Has global economic integration in the 21 st century raised the hope of Africa beyond the traditional approach of providing aid to help her end poverty? Are there remarkable differences in the approaches of some regional economic blocs like BRICS, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and multilateral groups such as IMF, World Bank etc. towards Africa? What has been and should be the basis of bilateral or even, multilateral development relationships between these groups and Africa? To answer the questions, the study explores the philosophy behind the donor-recipient and equal partners’ approaches to development. It juxtaposes the depredatory effects of the socio-political and economic conditionality that the West has inflicted on Africa (ranging from integrated rural development in the 1970s, to policy reform in the 1980s, to governance in the 1990s, and respect for human rights in the 2000 (especially the gay rights movement and so on) and alternative models. The paper observes that the burden of foreign aid, loan agreement, economic and technical cooperation agreement, debt sustainability, etc. have deepened Africa’s vulnerability rather than brighten its prospects in a global market. By hinging its argument on the assumption that any global economic integration that imposes political and economic conditionality in exchange for aid is anti-development, this paper further submits that African countries should be free to negotiate their own pathway out of poverty as equal partners in development. Only by comparing and exchanging views, rather than tutorials, the more useful engagement between Africa and the rest of the world could become possible. It concludes that mutually–beneficial relations between Africa and economic cooperation blocs will become possible, but only if African governments can take hold of these opportunities in ways that will benefit their people. Africa governments should focus on win-win approach that is not about aid but business.

"Destrucción de naciones": El arma económica de Estados Unidos desarrollada en Bolivia

Documentos desclasificados muestran que cuando el presidente Harry Truman creó su Programa Point IV (1949), lanzó implícitamente una operación global de soft “nation building" instrumentalizada a través de la asistencia técnica y económica. La llave maestra para intervenir en otras naciones fue la firma de los Acuerdos de Cooperación Técnica Punto IV. Este trabajo abarca el período comprendido entre enero de 1951 y el 12 de abril de 1952, y muestra en detalle cómo Bolivia se convirtió en un laboratorio para los experimentos de los EE. UU. en este tipo de intervenciones. El 14 de marzo de 1951 un gobierno boliviano pro estadounidense firmó el Acuerdo y los EE. UU. hicieron todo lo posible para evitar el surgimiento de un movimiento revolucionario, pero a pesar de sus esfuerzos, el pueblo se movilizó, derrotó al ejército y depuso al gobierno en la sangrienta revolución de abril de 1952. La revolución del MNR preparó el escenario para la prueba definitiva: la efectividad de los programas de soft “nation-building" contra un gobierno izquierdista y antiimperialista.

Brazil's South–South development cooperation: Principles and experiences of the domestic bureaucracy

SummaryHow did Brazilian bureaucrats view President Lula's approach to the provision of development assistance in the context of South–South cooperation (SSC)? How did they see their own bureaucracy's role, as a provider of such assistance? This paper addresses these questions within the broad context of Brazil's development assistance program. The analysis begins with an elaboration of the internal legal and political structure supporting the country's provision of development assistance. Then, it addresses the research questions by drawing on original material obtained from 54 interviews, conducted in Brasilia, with diplomats and public servants from 25 federal ministries and institutions directly involved with implementing technical cooperation agreements. Evidence leads to three main observations: (a) the bureaucracies' limited autonomy vis‐à‐vis the Presidency's command of the Brazilian development assistance program; (b) great convergence in the worldviews and principled values upheld by public servants and diplomats in regard to Brazilian foreign policy; and (c) the existence of interbureaucracy complaints and struggles related to the operational side of agreement implementation. These findings are relevant for understanding the inner workings of Brazilian SSC, as well as in comparison to other national bureaucracies' involvement in the conceptualization and implementation of South–South knowledge transfers.

O desafio da reintegração social do preso: uma pesquisa em estabelecimentos prisionais

Este artigo é baseado em uma pesquisa realizada no âmbito de um acordo de cooperação técnica entre o Conselho Nacional de Justiça (CNJ) e o Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada (IPEA), com a finalida- de de apresentar um panorama da reincidência criminal com base em dados coletados em alguns estados do país (Alagoas, Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Paraná e Rio de Janeiro). Apresenta parte dos resultados de uma investigação de caráter qualitativo voltada para o aprofundamento da temática da reintegração so- cial, entendida como a ação efetivamente promovida pelo Estado diante do desafio posto pela reincidência criminal. Buscou-se levantar as iniciativas existentes, as estratégias de implementação e desenvolvimento das ações, as percepções sobre a reintegração social desde a perspectiva dos diferentes atores envolvidos, considerando suas diferentes inserções no mundo institucional: juízes; operadores da execução penal e agentes envolvidos na execução dos programas (pro- fissionais da equipe técnica dos órgãos de governo, agentes penitenciários, professores, assistentes sociais e psicólogos); presos e internos.

Thailand's Department of Agricultural Extension and Agrochemical Dependency: Perspectives on Contributing Factors and Mitigation Strategies

Purpose: This paper discusses theoretical, policy and practical issues concerning the problem of ‘agrochemical dependency’ in Thailand, including roles that public extension services play in advocacy or mitigation of agrochemical use.Methodology/Approach: Our research aimed to better understand department of agricultural extension (DOAE) institutional and officials’ perceptions of contributing factors to agrochemical dependency as well as strategies for mitigating agrochemical use. We reviewed relevant policies, web materials and technical cooperation agreements. We supplemented theoretical and document analysis with interviews totalling15 DOAE managers or senior officers comparing Bangkok headquarters and Nan Province perspectives. We refer to relevant secondary literatures for explanatory context.Findings: Results showed differences as well as similarities between views of DOAE officials in Bangkok headquarters and those from one province (Nan) about DOAE priorities, responsibilities and perceived reasons why farmers overuse agrochemicals or do not adopt organic agriculture (OA). A national policy encouraged ‘safe use’ of agrochemicals but not (necessarily or effectively) mitigation while the DOAE still (to a much lesser extent) promoted self-sufficiency and OA alternatives. Interviews and documentary evidence revealed DOAE public–private partnerships with corporate advice, technical support, human resources and learning activities that encouraged or normalized agrochemical use and dependency.Practical Implications: Study results should be useful for governments, donors, international agencies and department officials in policy development, program planning, training design, budgeting and delivery.Originality/Value: This study is unique for: better understanding implications of agrochemical dependency and privatization of public extension services; analyzing factors inhibiting OA adoption; and examining contentious policies, partnerships, and training activities.

Traditional medicine applied by the Saraguro yachakkuna: a preliminary approach to the use of sacred and psychoactive plant species in the southern region of Ecuador

BackgroundDuring the colonial period, the indigenous saraguros maintained their traditions, knowledge, and practices to restore and preserve the health of their members. Unfortunately, many of their practices and medicinal resources have not been documented. In this study, we sought to document the traditional healers’ (yachakkuna saraguros) knowledge about medicinal and psychoactive plants used in the mesas and in magical-religious rituals. The study was conducted under a technical and scientific cooperation agreement between the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), the Dirección Provincial de Salud de Loja (DPSL), and the Saraguro Healers Council (Consejo de Sanadores de Saraguro).MethodsFor the present study, the DPSL and Saraguro Healers Council selected the 10 yachakkuna most recognized for their knowledge and their use of sacred and psychoactive species. Ten interviews with the selected yachakkuna were conducted between 2010 and 2011 to ascertain how the Saraguro traditional healing system is structured and to obtain a record of the sacred and medicinal plant species used to treat supernatural diseases and for psychoactive purposes.ResultsThe present study describes the traditional health system in the Saraguro indigenous community located in southern Ecuador. It also describes the main empirical methods used to diagnose diseases: direct physical examination of the patient, observation of the patient’s urine, documentation of the patient’s pulse, limpia, palpation and visionary methods, including supernatural diseases (susto, vaho de agua, mal aire, mal hecho, shuka) and reports of the use of sacred and medicinal psychoactive plants, such as the San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi), wandug (Brugmansia spp.), and tobacco (Nicotiana spp.). This study also describes the rituals (limpia, soplada) employed by the Saraguro yachakkuna to treat supernatural diseases. Finally, we report on the main plants used during limpia in the Saraguro community.ConclusionThe current traditional health system in the Saraguro community is the cultural expression of the Saraguros’ presence as an Andean group in southern Ecuador: it represents their character as indigenous group, their ability to survive as a community despite strong external pressure, and the desire to maintain their ancient healing heritage.

Genetic improvement of sugar cane for bioenergy: the brazilian experience in network research with RIDESA

In this paper, it is presented RIDESA's model for sugar cane breeding to ethanol, and its scientific, technological and human resources training contributions. RIDESA is an inter-university network for the development of sugar cane industry in Brazil, and was formed by a technical cooperation agreement between ten public universities. The model of network management is presented in this study, which involves, among other things, the public-private partnership (Universities-Mills) for the development of cultivars. RIDESA has produced 59 cultivars since 1990 and is now responsible for 59% of the total area cultivated with this plant in Brazil. In the last five years, 286 agronomists were trained in breeding programs at universities that comprise RIDESA. In this same period, the network formed 35 professors, 24 doctors and 7 post-docs in researches with this crop. It is also presented a conceptual approach on methods of sugar cane breeding involving families and genome-wide selection.

Estado del arte de los recursos genéticos vegetales en Colombia: Sistema de Bancos de Germoplasma

Colombia es reconocida en el mundo por su megadiversidad en fauna, flora y microorganismos, atribuida a su gran complejidad ecosistémica y a procesos evolutivos de los Andes, la Orinoquia, Amazonia y de sus costas Pacífica y Caribe, en los que se encuentran páramos, selvas tropicales, humedales, llanuras y desiertos, entre otros. Con una superficie continental de alrededor del 0,77% del área terrestre del mundo, alberga aproximadamente el 10% de las especies vegetales y animales conocidas. Estos recursos genéticos tienen un valor estratégico importante para el país, y sus inventarios son una herramienta fundamental para el análisis del estado actual y potencial de ellos y para la toma de decisiones sobre medidas de conservación y renovación. En este ámbito, el Gobierno colombiano facilitó la conformación del Sistema de Bancos de Germoplasma de la Nación para la Alimentación y la Agricultura, el cual figura en cabeza del ICA y es manejado por Corpoica por medio de un convenio de Cooperación Técnica y Científica, suscrito con el ICA. Del total de accesiones vegetales que posee Colombia, mantenidas en condiciones ex situ, el 70% se maneja en Corpoica. El 30% restante corresponde a bancos activos. En general, en Colombia existen bancos de germoplasma donde se conservan las especies en la modalidad ex situ, lo que complementa procesos de mantenimiento in situ, que incluyen materiales en fincas de los productores.

Pursuing Progress: Point Four in Ethiopia

Aristocratic nations are by their nature too much inclined to restrict the scope of human perfectibility; democratic nations sometimes stretch it beyond reason. On 16 June 1951, in Addis Ababa, representatives of the United States and the Imperial Ethiopian government signed an agreement promising “to cooperate with each other in the interchange of technical knowledge and skills and related activities designed to contribute to the balanced and integrated development of the economic resources and productive capacities of Ethiopia.”2 This “Point Four Agreement for Technical Cooperation” marked the beginning of a new era in U.S.-Ethiopian relations, one that differed greatly from its predecessor in the amount of attention Washington paid Addis Ababa. Although the agreement had specific benefits to Ethiopia, it also represented a much larger change in U.S. foreign policy. Point Four was America's first response to the newly defined problem of global poverty. A total of thirty-five countries eventually signed similar agreements. People in Harry S Truman's Washington and in capital cities around the world publicly announced their intention to work together to develop the world's underdeveloped nations.

THE CIAPEP AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROFESSION

The Inter American Course on Project Preparation and Evaluation (CIAPEP, in Spanish) has a predecessor that started in 1976, as part of a bilateral technical cooperation agreement between the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) and the National Planning Office of Chile (ODEPLAN): the IDB-ODEPLAN Course, which was given in 1976 and 1977. That agreement triggered my return to Chile from the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, U.S.A. where 1 directed a technical assistance program on Social Evaluation of Projects and Investment Programming (a three-month course and an expert in residence for one year) from 1 97 1 to 1 976, a program which was implemented in 2 1 countries, including Chile. The IDB-ODEPLAN agreement stipulated that the program was to be installed at the Economics Institute of the Catholic University of Chile and that I was to be its Director.