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PREPARATIONS CONTINUE FOR FOURTH HEMISPHERIC SUMMIT, WITH FOCUS ON JOBS

The selection of jobs as the central topic for the fourth Summit of the Americas, to be held in Mar del Plata next November, shows that the Summits process is indeed sensitive to the realities and problems of the Americas. That remark was made today by Argentina’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Jorge Taiana, as he opened the 36th meeting of the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG) in Buenos Aires.

“That sensitivity is very evident in the connection between jobs on the one hand, and the fight against poverty and the promotion of democratic stability on the other,” argued Taiana, who is Argentina’s National Coordinator for the Summits Process.

Also lauding the choice of jobs as the central topic, the Argentine Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Security, Carlos Tomada, stressed the need to “avoid consolidating societies that are divided between those who have jobs and those who are excluded.” He cited jobs as a social integration vehicle, noting that while growth is important, not just any growth can bring about jobs. Minimum wage, collective bargaining and domestic consumption incentive policies must be put in place so as to set in motion a process of sustainable and integrating development.

Organization of American States (OAS) Acting Secretary General, Ambassador Luigi Einaudi, meanwhile, observed how preparations for the Fourth Summit have come with the hemisphere at a critical juncture: needing to confront inequality and extreme poverty by overcoming the usual differences to seek solutions together.

According to Einaudi, Summits provide a basic framework to successfully approach these problems. “Democracy is the glory of the Americas and injustice our Achilles’ Heel,” he went on to assert, adding that Summits should seek to tackle such problems as poverty, corruption, imbalance of power between and among the branches of government, impunity, violence, terrorism, drug trafficking and human rights violations that continue to plague our hemisphere and call for action at the highest levels of government—this is, by the heads of state themselves.

To underscore the vital importance of democratic institutions, he cited the case of Haiti, a poor country with very weak institutions. This situation has led to one crisis after another, he added, calling for the building of the state as a matter of urgency.

Turning to the ten-year old Summit of the Americas process, Einaudi restated the OAS commitment to helping member countries implement the leaders’ mandates. He also highlighted the longstanding lack of resources, noting that the new Summit mandates given to the OAS were not accompanied by resources needed to carry out the proposed hemispheric initiatives in the various social, economic and political arenas.

Finally, Einaudi again stated the need for renewed commitment by the hemisphere’s nations to strengthen the Organization’s capacity to implement the leaders’ mandates, so as to pave the way for a hemisphere free of poverty and joblessness and in which confidence in our institutions, democracy and opportunity for everyone can flourish.

Reference: E-042/05