The COHESAL Programme for Social Cohesion, financed by the EU and the Panamese government, enhanced social policy development and institutional strengthening of the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) and national and local stakeholders: Municipalities, municipal associations, civil society actors, NGO´s and traditional local authorities. COHESAL included promotion of social and economic development in poor rural areas inhabited by peasant smallholders, cooperatives, and indigenous communities (Chiriquí, Veraguas, Ngöbe-Buglé). Local projects executed by local NGO´s and social organisations. Vocational training in agriculture, ICT and tourism. Productive projects in food production, horticulture, fishery, handicraft, and community eco-tourism. Development of value chains and marketing promotion. Enhancement of social cohesion through local and national networks involving communities, NGO´s and private sector. Strengthening of the technical capacities of three Associations of Municipalities. Financed by EC under decentralized management.

LASO led the Intermediate and the Final Evaluation missions of the COHESAL project (2015 and 2016).