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Evaluation of Diplomacy, Trade and Development Coherence in the Latin American and Caribbean Region - Executive summary

Diplomacy, Trade, and Development Coherence in the Latin American and Caribbean Region

About the evaluation

This evaluation examined Canada’s diplomacy, trade, and development coherence in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region during the period from 2013-14 to 2019-20. The evaluation is the second in a planned suite of geographic-branch evaluations of diplomacy, trade, and development coherence. Evaluation questions covered: coherent programming and results; organizational coherence; and delivery models to strengthen coherence.

Key findings

• The Americas Branch has leveraged expertise across diplomacy, trade, and development, with evidence of coherent programming in the LAC region. However, missed opportunities for further cross-stream collaboration were also identified.
• Canada’s presence in the region lacked a unified voice with external interlocutors.
• Cross-stream priorities for the LAC region were not clearly identified, which may have led to an uncoordinated approach across business lines for Canada’s international engagement with countries in the region.
• A lack of formal communication mechanisms to increase cross-stream collaboration has led to a limited understanding of the priorities and activities of other business lines.
• Departmental policies governing diplomacy, trade, and development aligned in thematic areas of gender equality, economic participation and prosperity, democratic participation and inclusive governance, peace and security, and human rights and dignity, presenting opportunities for cross-stream coherence.
• The department’s multiple planning and reporting tools impeded cross-stream coherence.
• While some aspects of the current organizational structure fostered coherence, the complexity of the structure presented barriers to cross-stream collaboration.

Recommendations

• Improve the strategic planning process across diplomacy, trade, and development.
• Implement formal cross-stream communication mechanisms to increase understanding of roles and responsibilities across business lines, and to leverage Branch expertise of diplomacy, trade, and development.
• Revise the current organizational structure to streamline the complexity that impedes coherence across diplomacy, trade, and development, and implement models that promote cross-stream coherence.