Media Center

Press Release

Inter-American Committee on Ports of the OAS Concluded its Ninth Meeting with a Call to Promote Innovation and Competitiveness of Ports in the Region

The Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the Organization of American States (OAS) today concluded its ninth regular meeting with an agreement to extend the term of the 2016 Plan of Action of Cartagena, adopted in 2013 and whose central axis is its emphasis on the development of innovative and competitive ports in the region.

The Head of the Secretariat of the CIP, Jorge Durán, expressed satisfaction with the approval of the extension of the Cartagena Action Plan whose main objective is "to ensure sustainable development with social inclusion in the Americas." The Plan also provides the strengthening of "Inter-American port dialogue" and the articulation of "hemispheric cooperation" as well as alliances between "private and public" sectors.

The resolution adopted by the meeting of the CIP, which took place at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, states that it "seeks to consolidate the port dialogue to promote competitiveness in the sector" through six areas: Logistics; Innovation and Competitiveness; Port Management and Sustainable Environmental Protection; Port Security and Safety; Public Policies, Legislation and Regulation; Tourism, Interior Ports and Waterways; Services to Ships and Navigation Control; and Corporate Social Responsibility and Women in Ports.

In addition to the Ninth Session of the Commission, the OAS headquarters also hosted the Inter-American Forum on Successful Practices in Port Development.

The CIP also elected its officers for the next two years. Uruguay was elected to the Chair, while the first Vice-Chair falls to Barbados and the second Vice-Chair will be occupied Colombia. Until now, the Chair was held by Peru, the first Vice Chair by St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the second Vice-Chair by Colombia.

In the course of the meetings, the Executive Secretary for Integral Development of the OAS, Sherry Tross, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Global Institute of Logistics to strengthen institutional capacity and provide technical assistance in terms of logistics to the ports of the Americas. Speaking at the inaugural session the Ninth Meeting of the CIP, Executive Secretary Tross urged countries in the region to seize the opportunity presented by the Panama Canal expansion. "This expansion has the potential to stimulate regional trade and, as we know, has stimulated the development of infrastructure to increase port capacity to accommodate large ships," she said.

Also, the CIP delivered, in the presence of the OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, the first Maritime Awards of the Americas, which were awarded to companies from Canada, Chile, Colombia, the United States and Uruguay.

A gallery of photos of the event will be available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-267/14