International Institutions

Canadian International Development Assistance - Jamaica - CIDA

CIDA is the Canadian governmental agency whose mandate is to help people in developing countries lift themselves out of poverty by offering them the support they need to improve their quality of life.  http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/index.htm

Department for International Development - DFID

DFID is the UK Government department responsible for promoting sustainable development and reducing poverty. The central focus of the Government’s policy is a commitment to the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals, to be achieved by 2015. DFID’s assistance is concentrated in the poorest countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, but also contributes to poverty reduction and sustainable development inmiddle-income countries, including those in Latin America and Eastern Europe. DFID works in partnership with governments committed to the Millennium Development Goals, with civil society, the private sector and the research community. It also works with multilateral institutions, including the World Bank, United Nations agencies, and the European Commission. DFID has headquarters in London and East Kilbride, offices in many developing countries, and staff based in British embassies and high commissions around the world. http://www.dfid.gov.uk/

The World Bank Group

The World Bank is a source of development assistance. Its primary focus is on helping the poorest people and the poorest countries. It uses its financial resources, its staff, and its knowledge base to help developing countries onto paths of stable, sustainable, and equitable growth. The World Bank provides financing that supports efforts of developing country governments to build schools and health centers, provide water and electricity, fight disease, and protect the environment. http://www.worldbank.org/. To obtain information on small states that are members of the Word Bank Group please go to http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/html/smallstates.nsf

The National Councils for Sustainable Development (NCSDs): In 1997, the Earth Council organized national and regional consultations in preparation for the Rio+5 Forum, which laid the groundwork for the creation and active functioning of many NCSDs. Since then, the Earth Council NCSD Program has continued to catalyse dialogue amongst stakeholders in developing regions towards creation of NCSDs, facilitate capacity building and training with NCSDs, and facilitate closer linkages with UN agencies engaged in sustainable development as well as key NGO advocacies.

European Union - EU

The European Union is based on the rule of law and democracy. Its Member States delegate sovereignty to common institutions representing the interests of the Union as a whole on questions of joint interest. All decisions and procedures are derived from the basic treaties ratified by the Member States. The Principal objectives of the Union are to establish european citizenship (Fundamental rights; Freedom of movement; Civil and political rights); to ensure freedom, security and justice (Cooperation in the field of Justice and Domestic Affairs); to promote economic and social progress (Single market; Euro, the common currency, Job creation, Regional development, and Environmental protection); and to assert Europe's role in the world (Common foreign and security; The European Union in the world). http://europa.eu.int/ 

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization - Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean - FAO

FAO was founded in 1945 with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, and to improve agricultural productivity and the condition of rural populations. As a specialized agency in the United Nations system, FAO provides international assistance  on  agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development. It has 183 member countries and one member organization, the European Community. Since its inception, FAO has worked to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security - defined as the access of all people at all times to the food they need for an active and healthy life. A specific priority of FAO is encouraging sustainable agriculture and rural development, a long-term strategy for increasing food production and food security while conserving and managing natural resources. The aim is to meet the needs of both present and future generations by promoting development that does not degrade the environment and is technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable. http://www.fao.org/Regional/LAmerica/default.htm

Global Environmental Facility - GEF

Established in 1991, GEF helps developing countries fund projects and programs that protect the global environment. It  forges international cooperation and finances actions to address six critical threats to the global environment: biodiversity loss, climate change, degradation of international waters, ozone depletion, land degradation, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs).  GEF brings together 173 member governments, working in partnership with the private sector, NGOs, and international institutions to address these complex environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives.  http://www.gefweb.org/

Inter-American Development Bank - IADB

Established in 1959, the IADB is a regional multilateral development institution that helps accelerate economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Its membership totals 46 nations including regional and non-regional countries. The Bank is a major catalyst in mobilizing resources for the Americas and the Caribbean region. Its principal functions are to utilize its own capital, funds raised by it in financial markets, and other available resources, for financing the development of the borrowing member countries; to supplement private investment when private capital is not available on reasonable terms and conditions; and to provide technical assistance for the preparation, financing, and implementation of development plans and projects. Current lending priorities include poverty reduction and social equity, modernization and integration, and the environment. In addition to the Bank, the IADB Group consists of the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) and the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF). The Bank’s, headquarters are located in Washington, D.C. Country Offices have been established in each of the borrowing member countries and in Paris and Tokyo. http://www.iadb.org/

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS - UNAIDS

As the main advocate for global action on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response aimed at preventing the transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS, and alleviating the impact of the epidemic http://www.unaids.org/

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Human Resources for International Cooperation - UN/DESA - HRIC

The HRIC Office, established by UN/DESA, is responsible for the implementation of the Junior Professional Officers (JPO) and Associate Experts (AE) Program, and the Fellowship Program sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The web site facilitates the dissemination of information on these Programs to the public and promotes the establishment of a network of current and former JPOs, APOs and AE. http://www.undesa.it/

United Nations Development Programme - Trinidad and Tobago - UNDP

UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. http://www.undp.org.tt/

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean - Trinidad and Tobago - ECLAC

ECLAC was established by the UN Economic and Social Council resolution. It is headquartered in Santiago, Chile, and it is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations. ECLAC was founded for the purposes of contributing to the economic development of Latin America, coordinating actions directed towards this end, and reinforcing economic relationships among the countries and with the other nations of the world. The promotion of the region's social development was later included among its primary objectives. ECLAC subregional headquarters for Central America are located in Mexico City and serve the needs of that subregion. ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean were founded in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, ECLAC maintains country offices in Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Montevideo and Bogotá, as well as a liaison office in Washington, D.C. http://www.eclac.cl/default.asp?idioma=IN

United Nations Environment Programme - Caribbean Environment Programme - UNEP - CEP

CEP is facilitated by the Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit (CAR/RCU) located in Kingston, Jamaica. Created in 1986, CAR / RCU serves as Secretariat to CEP. The objectives of the Secretariat are to provide assistance to all countries of the region; strengthen national and subregional institutions; coordinate international assistance; and stimulate technical cooperation among countries. CAR/RCU is under the administration of the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, however it is also directly responsible to the member Governments of the Wider Caribbean Region. The participating Governments determine the content of CEP, review its progress, chart its course and oversee financial and institutional arrangements. Staffed by nationals recruited from the states and territories participating in CEP, CAR/RCU does not conduct research itself, but serves as a focus for the collection, review and dissemination of studies, publications and the results of work performed under the aegis of CEP. http://www.cep.unep.org/

United Nations Environment Programme - Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean - UNEP - ROLAC

United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF

In 1946, the UN established UNICEF to meet the emergency needs of children in post-war Europe and China. In 1950 its mandate was broadened to address the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries everywhere. UNICEF helps children get the care and stimulation they need in the early years of life and encourages families to educate girls as well as boys. It strives to reduce childhood death and illness and to protect children in the midst of war and natural disaster. UNICEF supports young people, wherever they are, in making informed decisions about their own lives, and strives to build a world in which all children live in dignity and security. Working with national governments, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), other United Nations agencies and private-sector partners, UNICEF protects children and their rights by providing services and supplies and by helping shape policy agendas and budgets in the best interests of children. UNICEF maintains programs in 162 countries and territories. There are eight regional offices and 125 country offices worldwide, as well as a research center in Florence, Italy, a supply operation in Copenhagen, Denmark, and offices in Tokyo, Japan and Brussels, Belgium. UNICEF headquarters are in New York. http://www.unicef.org/  

United Nations Development Fund for Women - UNIFEM

Created in 1976, UNIFEM provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programs and strategies that promote women's human rights, political participation and economic security. It promotes gender equality and links women's issues and concerns to national, regional and global agendas by fostering collaboration and providing technical expertise on gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment strategies. UNIFEM's mandate is to support innovative and experimental activities benefiting women in line with national and regional priorities; serve as a catalyst, with the goal of ensuring the appropriate involvement of women in mainstream development activities, as often as possible at the pre-investment stage; play an innovative and catalytic role in relation to the United Nations system of development cooperation. http://www.unifem.undp.org/ 

United Nations Statistics Division - UNSD

UNSD compiles statistics from many international sources and produces global updates, including the Statistical Yearbook, World Statistics Pocketbook and yearbooks in specialized fields of statistics. It also provides to countries, specifications of the best methods of compiling information so that data from different sources can be readily compared. Unrestricted free access is provided to selected global datasets, such as the Millennium Indicators Database, which presents 48 social and economic indicators and related series by country and year since 1985, and the Social Indicators data set. Subscribers to the United Nations Common Database, Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, Population and Vital Statistics Report and Trade data by commodities and partners have access to a vast selection of the latest data in economic and social statistics and international trade.  http://unstats.un.org/unsd/

Created in 1961, USAID is the principal U.S. agency to provide assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms. USAID is an independent U.S. federal government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. The agency works to support long-term and equitable economic growth and advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting economic growth, agricultural and trade; global health; and, democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance. USAID provides assistance in four regions of the world: Sub-Saharan Africa; Asia and the Near East; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Europe and Eurasia. USAID’s headquarters are located in Washington D.C. and several field offices are located around the world.  It works in close partnership with private voluntary organizations, indigenous organizations, universities, American businesses, international agencies, other governments, and other U.S. government agencies. http://www.usaid.gov/regions/lac/jm/