The Regional Directors’ Team (RDTs) of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) met July 24 - 25, 2008 to review the progress, trends, and obstacles in achieving the Millennium Declaration Goals (MDGs) in the region and to develop a common strategy for their achievement by 2015. This meeting was the first for any RDTs and the outcome was fruitful. The RDTs noted linkages across various thematic areas, identified groups and places needing further assistance, and agreed on key actions for collaborative work. The RDTs developed an action plan for the next two years, leading up to the 2010 target of the General Assembly.

Important agreed actions include: to harmonize information and data on the region and use it for advocacy and awareness raising; to further develop and use the Atlas tool developed by PAHO and ECLAC and complement it with other key information, in particular the HDI, to map municipalities and areas with low indicators in development, and focus on those identified (eg. in study of Rostros Voces y Lugares/Faces, Voices, Places); to target vulnerable groups such as indigenous, afro-descendant, youth, women, and migrants; to establish a Regional Technical Team on Nutrition and Development to support UNCTs; and to collaborate on MDG 7 on Sustainable Environment, including developing the next regional inter-agency report thereon. The RDT will act together to support strategies defined by the UN Countries teams in these frameworks.

The RDT also discussed food price and energy crises and their affect on the region, as well as afro-descendant issues with participation of an Afro-descendant group Leader.

The RDTs also met with representatives from the World Bank, IDB, and OAS. They discussed the current challenges and regional issues and agreed that these crises offered an opportunity for closer dialogue and collaboration on these issues and for overall social development in the region.