CP/RES. 846 (1371/03)

CONVENING OF THE SECOND MEETING OF MINISTERS AND HIGH-LEVEL AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICIES ON DECENTRALIZATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL IN THE HEMISPHERE, PURSUANT TO resolution AG/RES. 1901 (XXXII-O/02)

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

BEARING IN MIND:

The task entrusted to the Permanent Council by the General Assembly through resolution AG/RES. 1901 (XXXII-O/02), “Declaration of La Paz on Decentralization and on Strengthening Regional and Municipal Administrations and Participation of Civil Society,” of convening the Second Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities Responsible for Policies on Decentralization, Local Government, and Citizen Participation at the Municipal Level in the Hemisphere; and

That in the aforementioned resolution the General Assembly expressed its firm support for the objectives set by the ministers and high-level authorities in the Declaration of La Paz and for the establishment of the High-Level Inter-American Network on Decentralization, Local Government, and Citizen Participation (RIAD) as an institutionalized entity for inter-American cooperation on these issues;

RECALLING the decision by the Permanent Council to entrust implementation of this resolution to the Special Committee on Inter-American Summits Management; and

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the presentation in that Committee by the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Mexico confirming his country’s offer to host the Second Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities in Mexico City from September 24 to 26, 2003, and proposing an agenda for that meeting based on preliminary consultations carried out during a working meeting of the RIAD, held in Cancún, Mexico, from September 10 to 12, 2002,

RESOLVES:

1.     To convene the Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities Responsible for Policies on Decentralization, Local Government, and Citizen Participation at the Municipal Level in the Hemisphere for September 24 to 26, 2003, in Mexico City.

2.     To approve the attached draft agenda for this Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities.

3.     To thank the Government of Mexico for its willingness to facilitate the holding of this Second Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities pursuant to specific mandates of the Summits of the Americas.

4.     To arrange for the meeting referred to in this resolution to be held in accordance with the resources allocated in Subprogram 10W of the 2003 program-budget.

5.     To request the General Secretariat to continue providing, through the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy in its capacity as Technical Secretariat of the RIAD, the technical support required to hold this meeting.

6.     To request the Committee on Inter-American Summits Management and Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities to continue following up on this topic and to submit a report on the results of the meeting to the Permanent Council.

APPENDIX

SECOND MEETING OF MINISTERS AND HIGH-LEVEL AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICIES ON DECENTRALIZATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL IN THE HEMISPHERE, PURSUANT TO resolution AG/RES. 1901 (XXXII-O/02)

DRAFT AGENDA

1.     Background and activities carried out in the context of the High-Level Inter-American Network on Decentralization, Local Government, and Citizen Participation (RIAD)

2.     Linkage of the RIAD with key players in the process of decentralization, strengthening local government, and citizen participation

3.     Design of parameters, frames of reference, and proposed common methods and strategies for advancing those processes

4.     Guidelines and working procedures of the RIAD

5.     Consideration and adoption of the Draft Mexico City Work Plan on Decentralization, Local Government, and Citizen Participation, with a view to the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Americas