MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina—José Miguel Insulza, the Organization of American States’ (OAS) Secretary General, speaking in Argentina today ahead of the Fourth Summit of the Americas, underscored the importance of involving civil society, the private sector, academia, youth, indigenous peoples and Afro descendant communities as well as workers and business communities in Summit of the Americas discussions that will focus on job-creation mechanisms, fighting poverty and tackling governance challenges.

Insulza made the remark while opening a meeting of foreign ministers and civil society, along with Argentina’s Foreign Minister Rafael Bielsa. The forum was part of the hemispheric summit that will bring together in Mar del Plata tomorrow 34 heads of state and government of the Americas.

“We must continue to create opportunities for cooperation between member states and civil society as part of the summits process,” Insulza asserted, underlining the intention to “embark on a creative, participatory process that is open to new, intuitive, visionary and dynamic ideas to create synergies so we can deliver the change our development demands.”

Insulza said conclusions arising from this meeting between civil society and the governments will afford a deeper understanding of regional challenges and realities and will serve as a basis on which to tackle problems that concern all sectors. He stressed the “need to prioritize and focus on consolidating a culture of democracy while strengthening good governance and the promotion and protection of human, civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights and integral development and multidimensional security.”

Lauding the level of the interaction of governments, and civil society organizations and international organizations, the Secretary General said “efforts by civil society organizations to join us today clearly show that their concerns can be addressed, their voices can be heard and our cooperation can be broadened.” He also called for “effective, ongoing cooperation on the hemispheric agenda as symbolized by the need to build consensus to confront the challenges facing our hemisphere.”

The hemisphere’s foreign ministers heard a range of views and reports on the summit’s theme, as well as on the draft Declaration and Action Plan to create jobs, combat poverty and strengthen democracy in the region.

The Secretary General is scheduled to sign an agreement with Bolivian Foreign Minister Armando Loaiza, on an OAS electoral observation mission to cover Bolivia’s December 18 general elections.

On Friday, Mr. Insulza will join Argentina’s President Néstor Kirchner and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin to formally open the Fourth Summit of the Americas.

Reference: E-256/05