2005 CAZALAC’s Evaluation and Planning Workshop (Santiago - Chile, January 2005).

The second CAZALAC planning meeting was held in Santiago, Chile on January 24 – 25, 2005.  This workshop is carried out every year to analyze the Center’s operation. In addition, this time specialists contributed their ideas to the strategic and operation planning for the year 2005 and for the 2006-2009 period.

The account presented by CAZALAC’s Executive Director, including the main activities developed by the Center in 2004 (see attached table), was favorably assessed by the evaluating team, who pointed out that CAZALAC is beginning to acquire importance at an international level regarding water issues in arid environments. Therefore, the Flemish Government’s decision to continue making contributions to CAZALAC through UNESCO for a new 2006-2009 period was ratified.

In the morning of January 25, an extended planning meeting, with a larger number of attendants from several domestic and foreign institutions (Embassy of Belgium, National Forestry Corporation, University of Chile, Catholic University of Valparaíso, State Department, and the Agriculture and Livestock Service) was held, which was mainly aimed at informing the Center’s current status regarding progress made in scientific technical matters, and commitment fulfillment by the Chilean Government. The meeting also had the purpose of establishing potential links and new joint actions with the organizations represented in the meeting.

Invited Experts:

• Dr. Deyanira Lobo, Institute of Edaphology, School of Agriculture, Universidad Central de Venezuela.;
• Eng. Wilfredo Alfaro, National Forestry Corporation, Focal Point for Chile of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

Main activities developed - 2004

• Preparation of the Map of Arid and Semi-Arid Zones in LAC (project will continue in 2005)
• Development of several studies on vulnerability to erosion of soils in arid zones
• Scholarship to  Brussels for Eng. Manuel Soto from CAZALAC to attend an electronic information course (STIMULATE4)
• Development of two courses on water issues in arid zones, Applied Hydro-geology course and course on Aquifer Contamination
• Joint project between CAZALAC and UNCCD to implement a Regional Program on Integral Water Management  in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones in LAC (TPN3 program)
• Actions to disseminate the Center’s activities
• Support to develop a virtual library of the International Hydrological Program in the UNESCO-Montevideo Regional Office
• Participation of representatives from CAZALAC in international workshops and meetings. Activities related to the areas of: (1) Research, (2) Education and training, (3) Information and dissemination, and (4) Collaboration agreements and covenants were defined for the 2005 period.

Strategies to be applied in the new 2006-2009 period were also established, as well as the actions to be carried out by CAZALAC, the associated organizations and the Government of Chile, so that a formal request can be submitted to UNESCO’s General Assembly in order to make it possible that the Water Center is recognized as an institution sponsored by this international organization, which will grant wide projections to the tasks commissioned to CAZALAC by the region, becoming a leader center in water management in arid zones.