New York – 22 September 2024 – On the fringe of the United Nations General Assembly, UNESCO and IDB have extended their partnership by signing a Framework Agreement to streamline funding and expand cooperation on shared priority areas in Latin America and the Caribbean. By facilitating UNESCO’s access to IDB funding through member States, this agreement will simplify collaboration and pave the way for impactful education and sustainable development initiatives.
Building on their longstanding collaboration and shared vision for fostering education and sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean, UNESCO and IDB are posed to play a pivotal role in advancing educational reforms, as exemplified by their efforts in Haiti.
Transforming education in Haiti
Since 2022, the Haitian Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training, in collaboration with UNESCO's International Bureau of Education and the Office in Port-au-Prince, and with the financial support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), have initiated a large-scale transformation of education in Haiti. This initiative began with a comprehensive diagnostic phase to identify challenges in Haiti’s curriculum, which led to the development of a roadmap for systemic curriculum reform and capacity building. The second phase, concluded earlier this month with a USD 5 million contribution from IDB, will support the revision of school programs for preschool and primary education, update textbooks and pedagogical materials, and improve teacher training programs. Through its expertise, UNESCO is a strong partner of the Ministry of Education in Haiti and actively supports its efforts in implementing this education reform.
This educational transformation aligns with Haiti’s Ten-Year Education and Training Plan 2020-2030, which was designed to enhance the quality of education and better prepare Haitian students for future challenges. A key milestone in this process was the adoption of the Curricular Orientation Framework in 2021, with revisions made in 2023 to further modernize the curriculum. This reform aims to create a more responsive and future-oriented education system, ensuring that Haiti’s youth are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to the country’s development.
The ongoing collaboration between the Haitian Ministry of Education, UNESCO and the IDB represents a long-term commitment to improving education in Haiti. By modernizing the curriculum and strengthening teacher training, this partnership is laying the foundation for a more inclusive and resilient education system that can better address the needs of future generations.
Addressing vulnerabilities in the Region
The signing of this Framework Agreement marks the beginning of a comprehensive dialogue between the two organizations, on how they will address these vulnerabilities in the region through joint actions such as education, climate change mitigation and resilience, early warning systems, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, tackling challenges related to artificial intelligence, such as combatting inequalities and promoting gender equality supporting the creative economy and fostering cultural tourism in the region.
History of the UNESCO-IDB Partnership
IDB and UNESCO have a longstanding history of collaboration, dating back to their first agreement in 1967, which focused on advancing education and the sciences in Latin America. In 2008, the partnership was further strengthened with a Memorandum of Understanding to promote cooperation on education, youth, sciences (biodiversity, natural disaster mitigation and risk preparedness), ethics of science and technology, cultural diversity (the promotion of multilingualism), cultural and natural heritage, cultural industries, and urban development. The new framework agreement not only builds upon these past efforts but also marks a step forward in deepening the partnership.
