Practical proposals for Triangular Cooperation: Indigenous Peoples

SEGIB presented a proposal for a sectoral Instrument at the 5th Meeting of Senior Government Officials and Indigenous Peoples in Santa Marta (Colombia).

From 25th to 27th March, Indigenous delegates, representatives of various organisations and development banks met in Santa Marta (Colombia), where they adopted the Santa Marta Declaration.

SEGIB coordinates its work with FILAC (Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean), overseeing the monitoring of the Ibero-American Action Plan for the Implementation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. At the same time, progress has been made in partnership with the European Union through the development of research on the regional context of cooperation with and/or for these populations.

Specifically, as part of the EU’s ADELANTE Programme, SEGIB has led two knowledge-generation initiatives, one of which is the Study on South–South and Triangular Cooperation and Indigenous Peoples. This report reviewed South-South and Triangular Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples in Ibero-America and found that less than 1% of the actions reported in the SIDICSS are for or with these populations; and that none of them involve the participation of indigenous institutions and/or organisations. Based on this analysis, the study proposed a framework for a potential strategy and basic tools for working on Triangular Cooperation with these communities.

Subsequently, in a second phase of collaboration between SEGIB and the EU, the aim was to “take action” and design a potential Triangular Cooperation Instrument by and for Indigenous Peoples (ICT-PI). This raises a possibility was then for strengthening the promotion of public policies in favour of Indigenous Peoples and their effective participation in South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSC and TrC) within the Ibero-American region.

It thus emerges as a specific measure under the Ibero-American Action Plan for the Implementation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PAIIDPI, by its acronym in Spanish), within the framework of its third objective, and is aimed at promoting projects led by and for Indigenous Peoples, in line with their rights, priorities and vision of development with identity. The initiative examines existing frameworks and experiences of cooperation and draws on best practices to propose a comprehensive design for an instrument that places these communities at the heart of Triangular Cooperation. This mechanism also strengthens the coordination between SEGIB and FILAC, identifying them as key actors in the governance and implementation of the instrument.

Therefore, in Santa Marta, SEGIB brought to the attention of the government representatives responsible for indigenous policy, this initiative that proposes the strengthening and promotion of Triangular Cooperation by and for Indigenous Peoples.

April 2026

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Source and photos: SEGIB.