The first day of informals at the Development Agenda meeting this week concluded at around 7:10 PM. Cluster A on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building was discussed. Early reports indicate good progress was made (on the 4 paragraphs of agreed text contained in the Cluster A recommendations) but the negotiations on Cluster A have not yet been concluded.
The Chair of the 4th PCDA, Ambassador Trevor Clarke (Barbados),has assigned 6 regional groups to shepherd each of the 6 clusters of 71 proposals to reach consensus on recommendations to take forth to the General Assembly.
The Group of Latin American Countries and the Caribbean (GRULAC) is overseeing Cluster A on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building. The African Group is handling Cluster B on Norm-setting , Flexibilities, Public Policy and Public Domain. The Asian Group is tackling Cluster D on Assessments, Evaluation and Impact Studies. Group B (rich countries) is taking Cluster E on Institutional Matters Including Mandate and Governance. The group comprising Russia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Caucasus is taking the lead on Cluster F on Other Issues.