AG/DEC. 8 (XXV-O/95)

DECLARATION OF MONTROUIS: A NEW VISION OF THE OAS

(Adopted at the sixth plenary session, held on June 7, 1995)

The ministers of foreign affairs and heads of delegation of the member states of the Organization of American States (OAS), meeting on the occasion of the twenty-fifth regular session of the General Assembly in Montrouis, Republic of Haiti,

CONSIDERING:

That, given the challenges of globalization facing the hemispheric community, it is necessary to underscore the relevance of multilateral organizations and strengthen their capacity to promote cooperation among the nations of the Hemisphere; That the heads of state and government of the Americas called upon the Organization of American States to follow up on the decisions taken at the Summit of the Americas and emphasized its important supporting role in implementing some areas of the Plan of Action;

That the proposals placed before the Permanent Council by the Secretary General in his document "A New Vision of the OAS" offer an approach to a strengthened and renewed inter-American system based on decisions adopted by the sessions of the General Assembly in Santiago, Managua, Mexico City, and Bel�m do Par�, and that that document has taken account of the priorities agreed upon at the Summit of the Americas;

That the priority accorded by the Organization of American States to the promotion, consolidation, and defense of democracy, in full adherence to the principle of nonintervention, has been reaffirmed in various instruments and documents of the Organization;

That, at the request of each state concerned, the Organization of American States has conducted notable efforts to defend democracy where it has been undermined by promoting the restoration of constitutional order. In some cases, it has also participated in national reconciliation or institution-building processes, including electoral observation;

That the unflagging efforts of the member states and the Secretary General in support of the determination of the Haitian people to defend their sovereignty and to apply the provisions of resolution AG/RES. 1080 (XXI-O/91) contributed to the restoration of Haiti's democratically-elected government following the coup d'�tat in September 1991;

That, as stated by the heads of state and government participating in the Summit of the Americas, "the strengthening, effective exercise and consolidation of democracy constitute the central political priority of the Americas," and that the Organization must be in a position to respond effectively to the needs of each member state that requests assistance to promote and consolidate its democratic system;

That the full exercise of all human rights is a prerequisite for a pluralistic and participatory society and for the exercise of representative democracy, and that it is incumbent upon states to prevent all forms of discrimination and guarantee protection of the human rights of women, indigenous people, children, refugees, persons with disabilities, migrant workers and their families, undervalued and minority groups, victims of racial and ethnic discrimination, and persons detained and awaiting trial; That, as reaffirmed at the Summit of the Americas, it is necessary to strengthen and further improve the inter-American system for the protection and promotion of human rights, the institutions of which are engaged in a vitally important undertaking;

That one of the Hemisphere's greatest assets is its ethnic and cultural diversity, and that it is incumbent upon the OAS to value and incorporate that reality as it seeks to bring about the development of the American peoples;

That the amendments to the OAS Charter designed to incorporate the concept of integral development as a factor contributing to peace, social harmony, and the strengthening of democratic institutions; to establish the elimination of extreme poverty as a fundamental aim of development; and to set up the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) to promote cooperation in these areas should play a role in modernizing the OAS;

That, at its twentieth special session on inter-American cooperation for development, held in Mexico City, the General Assembly defined the general policy framework and priorities of cooperation at the inter-American level and pledged to promote partnership for development as a fundamental objective of the OAS and as an appropriate mechanism for collectively supporting national development efforts and, in particular, for helping to overcome extreme poverty in the Hemisphere;

That it is necessary to intensify and coordinate development cooperation efforts to ensure that they follow the priorities agreed to by the member states and are conducted in keeping with the new cooperation approach and practices, so that they will be more effective, efficient, and partnership-oriented, will support in particular those most in need, and will foster increased mobilization of financial, technical, and human resourcesof the Organization and other organizations and institutionsin support of development and consolidation of democracy in the Hemisphere

That the member states are conducting notable efforts in the areas of economic integration and promotion of free trade in the region, in keeping with the objective of concluding negotiations to establish a Free Trade Area of the Americas by the year 2005, as agreed to at the Summit of the Americas;

That it is vitally important for the member states and the Organization to take appropriate steps to strengthen cooperation activities in support of sustainable development, in keeping with the commitments assumed at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the 1994 United Nations Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;

That the cooperation of member states must be encouraged in the area of international legal affairs, through approval of the necessary resources, so that the Inter-American Juridical Committee can fully discharge the important function entrusted to it by the Charter of the OAS;

That increasing interdependence and economic integration require that the question of migrant workers and their families be addressed on the basis of solidarity among member states and with full respect for the dignity and rights of such persons;

That use of and access to information, communication, and telecommunication technologies are crucial for the development of member states, and that common rules in this area must be formulated;

That the OAS Charter establishes that the essential purposes of the Organization include strengthening peace and security in the Hemisphere, preventing possible causes of difficulties, and ensuring the peaceful settlement of disputes that may arise among member states, and likewise reaffirms as principles that should be observed by the American states the faithful fulfillment of obligations derived from treaties and other sources of international law and the condemnation of wars of aggression;

That radical changes in the international and hemispheric arenas afford an opportunity for dialogue and cooperation on matters of security, disarmament, and mutual confidence within the OAS;

That progress made in the signing and ratification of the Treaty of Tlatelolco is an important contribution to international efforts to prevent all forms of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, particularly of nuclear weapons;

That terrorism is a serious criminal phenomenon of deep concern to all member states, and that it has devastating effects on civilized coexistence, democratic institutions, and the lives, safety, and property of human beings;

That the employment of various forms of violence constitutes an assault on democratic institutions, the rule of law, and the potential for development, and that issues of public safetychiefly in large citiesaffect the quality of life of their inhabitants;

That illicit drug production, trafficking, and abuse, and related offenses such as money laundering and trafficking in weapons and chemical precursors, pose a threat to democratic institutions and the health and welfare of people;

That, at the Summit of the Americas, the heads of state and government acknowledged that "corruption in both the public and private sectors weakens democracy and undermines the legitimacy of governments and institutions," and that this calls for a hemispheric approach to combating all forms and manifestations of corruption and ensuring that those responsible are punished; and

That the Organization must be strengthened and its internal operations adjusted so that it may discharge the responsibilities assigned to it,

DECLARE:

  1. Their commitment to preserving peace and security and promoting democracy, human rights, social justice, and development, reaffirming their intent to strengthen the Organization of American States as the leading political forum in the Hemisphere so that it may offer member states the cooperation they require in order to meet those objectives.

  2. That the OAS Charter establishes that representative democracy is an indispensable condition for stability, peace, and development in the region, and that, in defense of that concept, the General Assembly adopted the Santiago Commitment and subsequent Charter amendments.

  3. Their determination to support OAS efforts to promote and consolidate democracy; to that end, they instruct the Permanent Council and the General Secretariat to be prepared to grant the necessary support to each state that so requests, subject to the principles of nonintervention and respect for the sovereignty and independence of states, and they reiterate their support for the strengthening of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy so that the General Secretariat may provide assistance to member states that so request in areas such as legislative and judicial processes, government reform, and other institutional changes.

  4. Their decision to support the activities of the OAS Secretary General to foster understanding, dialogue, and political reconciliation at the request of the state concerned, bearing in mind that national reconciliation originates within a country itself and comes about in the context of the rule of law.

  5. Their commitment to support OAS initiatives to facilitate the exchange of experiences among democratic institutions in the member states, particularly between the legislatures and judicial systems of those states.

  6. Their interest in having the Secretary General hold consultations on the advisability and possibility of creating a center on studies for democracy and report his conclusions and recommendations to the Permanent Council in due course.

  7. Their conviction that the consolidation of democracy requires initiative and effort to overcome extreme poverty, which erodes democratic development and social coexistence in our nations and thus calls for measures and programs that will guarantee increased social investments.

  8. Their intent to continue to promote observance and defense of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, as defined in the pertinent inter-American instrumentsparticularly the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and the American Convention on Human Rightsby way of the institutions established to promote and safeguard those rights and freedoms

  9. That it is important for those states that have not yet done so to seriously consider ratifying or acceding to the American Convention on Human Rights and the other inter-American human rights instruments and to give special consideration to recognizing the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; and they request the Secretary General, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to continue their efforts to help facilitate such ratification, accession, or recognition

  10. Their conviction that the inter-American system has valuable experience and well-earned prestige in the promotion and protection of human rights, which warrants decisive member state support for its bodies, including the allocation of increased financial and human resources, as well as an evaluation of how the inter-American human rights system operates. The purpose here is to initiate reflection leading to its improvement, including the possibility, if necessary, of amending the pertinent instruments, especially the American Convention on Human Rights.

  11. Their conviction that defending human rights is primarily the responsibility of states and, within the states, of their judicial systems, which should be strengthened. In keeping with this view, they emphasize the complementary role of the inter-American human rights agencies, which act in response to human rights violations that national bodies have been unable to redress once domestic remedies have been exhausted. Moreover, they renew their support for the promotion of dialogue and cooperation with governments in overcoming obstacles to the full exercise of particular rights or freedoms and for joint efforts to bring about stricter observance of those rights.

  12. Their interest in having the Secretary General, in consultation with the Permanent Council, promote greater cooperation among the human rights agencies of the inter-American system and national and international development, research, and finance institutions in order to increase available resources for the protection and promotion of human rights in areas that include judicial reform, educational programs, improvement of the prison system and of the situation of persons detained or on trial for prolonged periods and awaiting a verdict.

  13. Their conviction that the American peoples should continue their struggle against racism, xenophobia, and racial discrimination and promote equal economic, political, and social opportunity for the various ethnic, undervalued, and minority groups.

  14. Their commitment to promote the economic and social development of indigenous peoples, with particular attention to questions of human rights, the environment, education, and health. This commitment is part of the quest for social development policies that include the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples and their cultural diversity.

  15. Their recognition of the dignity of women and of women's contributions to society, which calls for the adoption of policies that foster active participation to enable women to fully enjoy all their rights and develop their potential. In this connection, they support the work carried out by the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), as well as its contribution to and participation in the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, to be held in Beijing in 1995.

  16. Their concern over the situation of all migrant workers and their families, whose dignity and human and civil rights should be respected and protected by the member states.

  17. Their intention to address, with special care, the major topics on the hemispheric security agenda; their commitment to contributing to general and complete disarmament under strict international control; and their firm support for the exchange of information and experiences to strengthen confidence among the nations of the Hemisphere, emphasizing the importance, to attain that objective, of the Regional Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, which will be held in Chile in November 1995. Moreover, they express their vehement repudiation of illicit arms trafficking and their intent to support efforts to prevent such trafficking.

  18. Their intent to foster an exchange of experiences in the prevention of and war on crime and to study possible measures to improve public safety.

  19. Their most emphatic condemnation of all forms of terrorismwhether domestic or international and regardless of the agent or means thereofand their firm resolve to cooperate in preventing and vigorously combating terrorist acts in any part of the Hemisphere, with full respect for the jurisdiction of the member states and in full observance of international treaties and conventions; and their support for holding, within the framework of the OAS, a specialized conference on terrorism

  20. Their decision to intensify cooperation among member states in confronting the drug problem in the Hemisphere in its various phases and manifestations: illicit drug production, trafficking, and abuse, and related offenses such as money laundering and trafficking in weapons and chemical precursors. Moreover, they express their support for efforts under way in the countries affected by this problem and reiterate their support for the efforts of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the Organization to devise and implement an effective hemispheric strategy to combat the drug problem, particularly through demand reduction, strengthening of national drug control agencies and commissions, legal development, alternative development, and the Inter-American Drug Information System.

  21. Their decision to fight public and private corruption in all its forms. To this end, and taking into account the work under way in the Organization, they support cooperation and the exchange of experiences to promote state modernization, transparency in government administration, and the strengthening of internal mechanisms for investigating and punishing acts of corruption, as well as the holding of a specialized conference in Caracas to consider and, if appropriate, adopt an inter-American convention against corruption.

  22. Their intent to contribute to the efficient functioning of the World Trade Organization (WTO), to the opening-up of markets, to growing and more transparent trade, and to the elimination of discriminatory and unfair trade practices that distort and curtail the benefits of economic globalization.

  23. Their support for the Organization's effortsparticularly those of the Special Committee on Trade and its Advisory Group and those of the General Secretariat, through the Trade Unitin support of member states to bring to fruition the decision adopted by the heads of state and government at the Summit of the Americas to conclude negotiations on establishment of a Free Trade Area of the Americas by the year 2005.

  24. Their support for the efforts of the Organization to develop hemispheric cooperation in support of environmental conservation and the rational use of natural resources, in accordance with the commitments assumed at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, particularly Agenda 21; and their decision to promote an assessment and updating of the Inter-American Program of Action for Environmental Protection, review the agenda of the Committee on the Environment, and provide the OAS with suitable means of promoting sustainable development, in which connection the Permanent Council will consider the Secretary General's proposal to establish an environment unit.

  25. Their full support for the Summit Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held in Bolivia in 1996, and their readiness to cooperate in preparations for that conference.

  26. Their decisive support for the programs of the Central American Alliance for Sustainable Development.

  27. Their commitment to promote investment in information, communication, and telecommunication infrastructure; and they request the Secretary General to promote access for our countries' institutions to information networks and to support and propose policies to strengthen the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) so that it may fulfill the mission entrusted to it in the Plan of Action of the Summit of the Americas.

  28. Their concern over the continuing tension and conflict between some member states, which should be overcome by peaceful and juridical means. Their condemnation of acts of aggression of any kind employed to resolve conflicts between states, and they pledge united action to counter the use of force. Their full conviction that the principles and essential aims enshrined in the OAS Charter make it incumbent upon member states to employ peaceful means to settle disputes, particularly the mechanisms agreed to in bilateral treaties now in force among them

  29. Their decision to support and promote OAS technical cooperation on matters related to tourism, the development of which is of special interest to the states of the region, particularly those of the Caribbean.

  30. Their interest in promoting a rapprochement between the different regions of the Hemisphere and in improving communication among their peoples, and their desire for the OAS to play a broader role in promoting cultural awareness.

  31. Their commitment to full implementation of the resolutions adopted at the twentieth special session of the General Assembly to make partnership for development a reality and, especially, to help to overcome extreme poverty, which affects a large percentage of the Hemisphere's population, in view of the need to initiate a far-reaching dialogue on bilateral and multilateral financial cooperation, investment and debt, expansion and liberalization of trade within the region, and cooperation in the technical, scientific, and technological areas.

  32. Their commitment to ensure that the modernization of development cooperation is accompanied by the adoption of necessary changes in the structure, modalities, and procedures of the General Secretariat so that such cooperation will address the priorities defined by the states, will be more effective, efficient, and partnership-oriented, and will draw upon experience gained in cooperation among member states and in joint programs with other cooperation and finance organizations, such as the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, United Nations agencies, cooperation institutions of countries within and outside the Hemisphere, and nongovernmental organizations, so as to channel the greatest amount of resources to the region.

  33. Their recognition of the work accomplished by the OAS in support of human resource development in the Hemisphere, and they request that, in order to ensure the utmost objectivity, effectiveness, and efficiency in fellowships and training programs, the Secretary General evaluate such programs and propose any changes needed to guarantee that they address the needs of the member states as expressed in the priorities of the Organization.

  34. Their request to the Secretary General that he evaluate the operations of the national offices and that, in coordination with the Permanent Council, he adopt such measures as may be deemed necessary.

  35. The need to strengthen the Organization and adapt its internal operations so that it may discharge the responsibilities assigned to it. In this connection, they request the Permanent Council and the Secretary General, within their respective purviews and in a coordinated fashion, to effect such changes as may be necessary to ensure efficacy, efficiency, and transparency in the internal operations of the General Secretariat, promoting greater collaboration and complementarity with the other organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system. Moreover, they instruct the Secretary General to secure the technical support and resources required by the Councils, the Inter-American Juridical Committee, and their subsidiary bodies.

  36. In issuing this declaration, the ministers and heads of delegation of the member states of the Organization of American States reiterate their resolve to implement the necessary measures to enable the OAS to address the concerns and needs of the American peoples in a timely and effective manner.

  37. That this Declaration shall be called the "Declaration of Montrouis: A New Vision of the OAS."

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