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AT OAS, DISCUSSIONS LOOK TOWARD THE FIFTH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS

Representatives of the Organization of American States (OAS) member countries met today to study the progress made in implementing the mandates of the last Summit of the Americas and to begin discussions on the priority issues that the 34 Heads of State will address at the Fifth Summit, which will take place in Trinidad and Tobago in 2009.

In opening the meeting of the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG), which brings together National Coordinators on this issue, OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza explained that “the Summits of the Americas, of Heads of State and Government, constitute the most important regional forum and the principal guide of our hemispheric cooperation policy.” Insulza added that the next Summit will be fundamentally important because it will provide an overview of the regional agenda and show “how we can move forward into the future in carrying out our tasks.”

Insulza reflected on the progress achieved since the Mar del Plata Summit, which took place in Argentina in November 2005, and shared views on priority issues and proposals that could frame the debate in Trinidad and Tobago. He emphasized that eradicating extreme poverty and crime, promoting social inclusion and strengthening governance and democratic institutions are among the key challenges that the countries must face. “The Summit is relevant to the extent that it confronts the challenges that the region is going through at that particular time,” Insulza said.

For his part, the National Coordinator and Special Envoy for the Americas of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, Ambassador Luis Alberto Rodríguez—who chairs the SIRG—noted that his government values the “critical role that the OAS plays in forging hemispheric consensus on issues fundamental to the achievement of a better life for the peoples of the Americas.”

Rodríguez reiterated that although there are a “plethora” of relevant issues for the hemisphere to consider, as is evident by the numerous mandates that have come out of the Summit process, the two crucial issues that affect the citizens of the Americas are poverty and insecurity. “These two issues are of major concern to the government of Trinidad and Tobago, as I am certain they are to governments throughout the hemisphere, because they can quickly erode our economic successes and development progress in other areas, and have a profound impact on our democratic way of life,” he said.

He added that the discussions around the Fifth Summit should reflect not only the challenges that lie ahead, but also the experience of the past, with a view to redefining priorities and approaches to help implement existing mandates.

“The Summits of the Americas are the expression that cooperation and solidarity in the region define our relations, and are the best tools to confront the challenges of the region through a regional cooperation strategy that our Heads of State have defined in their declaration and plans of action,” Rodríguez concluded.

Reference: E-090/07