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E-043/01
February 26, 2001

TENTATIVE APPROVAL FOR NINE ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN OAS ACTIVITIES

Nine civil society organizations have been tentatively approved to participate in the activities of the hemispheric Organization of American States. Today's approval by the Committee on Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities will now move to the Permanent Council for a final decision.

The latest non-governmental groups deemed to have met OAS criteria for participation are the Dante B. Fascell North-South Center at the University of Miami; Inter-American Economic Council; Conciencia Association; Information and Education Center for the Prevention of Drug Abuse; Washington Office on Latin America; National Congress of Indians; Human Rights Internet; International Foundation for Election Systems; and the Huancavilca Foundation.

Presiding at the meeting, Committee Chairman Kingsley Layne, St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Ambassador to the OAS, asserted that by opening up its activities to non-governmental groups the OAS was pursuing "a serious process of transparency and strengthening relations." He explained that all approvals granted must be seen in that context. Ambassador Layne went on to state that the approval would have a far-reaching effect: "It is an approval which has repercussions beyond the halls of this Organization, and will eventually affect the daily lives of the constituencies we have the honor to represent."

Among those addressing the meeting of the Committee, the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), Carmen Lomellin, detailed her OAS agency's fruitful history of interaction with non-governmental groups.

Since the Committee on Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities was established in 1999, a number of non-governmental organizations have sought permission to be involved in the activities of the OAS. Under the guidelines, special arrangements are made to enable such organizations to attend OAS events, make presentations and provide expert advice.

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