The governments of El Salvador and Brazil officially opened the XIII Meeting of the Technical Cooperation Working Group this Monday in San Salvador, marking a renewed commitment to joint development efforts under the South-South Cooperation framework.

Throughout the week, officials from El Salvador’s Agency for International Cooperation (ESCO) and Brazil’s Cooperation Agency (ABC) will hold working groups and conduct field visits aimed at identifying new projects and strategic areas for bilateral support. The goal is to advance shared development and improve the well-being of Salvadoran citizens.

This collaboration is grounded in the South-South Cooperation model, which fosters knowledge exchange, technical skills development, and collaborative project design between developing nations. Proposed initiatives will focus on key sectors such as agriculture, sports, and local development.

To strengthen these efforts, institutions from both countries have joined the talks, including El Salvador’s National School of Agriculture (ENA), the Agricultural Marketing Development Center (CDCA/MAG), the National Sports Institute (INDES), and the Ministry of Local Development (MINDEL). Their Brazilian counterparts include EMBRAPA, CONAB, INSA, and Brazil’s Ministry of Sports.

The week-long meeting will conclude on Friday, May 9, with the presentation of jointly selected projects.

“We see this partnership as an opportunity to bring our strengths together for the benefit of our people,” said Luiz Eduardo de Aguiar Villarinho Pedroso, Brazil’s Ambassador to El Salvador, during the opening session. “It’s a bridge between our nations, built on shared values and mutual respect,” added Maria Augusta Montalvão Ferraz, ABC’s General Coordinator for Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe.