From past to present: the Paris Declaration

Belgium and Peru can look back on a long tradition of cooperation: The first ‘Agreement for Technical and Scientific Cooperation’ was signed in 1965. Now we have a 7th ICP. Belgium is 6th among Peru’s main bilateral donors.

The world of development cooperation is going through some major changes, which started with the Paris Declaration. This evolution also reflects in the activities of Belgian development cooperation in Peru.

In line with the Paris Declaration interventions are aligned as much as possible with the national efforts. For instance, the sectors chosen for this ICP are priority sectors of Peru’s national policy, which can however not count on broad national budgets: Health care (health insurance) and sustainable economic development with a good management of natural resources.

This choice is based on earlier positive experiences. Since successful projects in health insurance (Seguro Integral de Salud – SIS) were calibrated on and embedded in the national systems.

Besides alignment with national systems also the principle of ‘ownership’ is strongly present in the Belgian-Peruvian cooperation. The different actors emphasized that the negotiations in preparation of the Joint Commission were open, participative and conducted in continuous dialogue, with Peru coordinating the contacts.

The ICP in concrete terms

The 2010-2013 ICP amounts to EUR 40 million, with a part attributed to projects and another part attributed as sectoral budget support.

The healthcare sector (health insurance) is good for EUR 20 million; sustainable economy gets EUR 13 million.
Finally, a part also goes to the Defensoría del Pueblo, via the basket fund through delegated cooperation and via micro interventions, scholarships and the Study and Expertise Funds. There is EUR 7 million to do so.

Each sector will take into account the transversal themes (gender, children’s rights, the environment, social economy).

• Peru