In recent years, with the aim of combating poverty and social exclusion through cultural cooperation for development, Spanish Cooperation has endeavoured to reinforce a fundamental aspect of its activities, that of multilateral action.

Making this approach a top priority, partnerships have been created and our participation strengthened in leading international organisations in the fields of culture, education and science, with whom we share a common vision of the relationship between culture and development. Thus, UNESCO [1], UNDP [2] –  particularly its Culture and Development thematic window in the Millennium Fund, the Organisation of Ibero-American States (OEI) [3], the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) [4] and the EU have become strategic partners in our multilateral action. With this commitment, Spain is contributing to the inclusion of culture and science, as factors of sustainable human development, in the international agenda. Multilateral cultural cooperation is of particular relevance in the context of Ibero-America, through the "Iber Programmes" in the framework of the Ibero-American Summits. AECID, with respect to cultural cooperation, is currently engaged in the following Programmes: Ibermedia [5], Iberescena [6], Iberorquestas Juveniles [7], Ibermuseos [8] , Iberarchivos-ADAI.