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OAS Permanent Council Analyzes the Effectiveness of the Implementation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today analyzed the effectiveness of the implementation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter (IDC) since it was signed on September 11, 2001, its relevance, and the important role it has played in the strengthening of democracy throughout the continent. Furthermore, the Member States made proposals on how to strengthen the mechanisms available to it for the benefit of democracy and thanked the Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, for his report on the IDC and the proposals contained in it.

During the meeting the following permanent missions took the floor: Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, the United States, Ecuador, Canada, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, El Salvador, Argentina, Dominica, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Paraguay. The dialogue was chaired by the Permanent Representative of Grenada to the OAS, Ambassador Gillian Bristol, who said the suggestions, ideas and proposals presented will be incorporated by the Council’s Secretariat within a document to assist in the future implementation of the IDC.

The representatives of the Member States highlighted the relevance of the Charter, a document they described as a reflection of the democratic ideals and values shared by the countries of the hemisphere, and noted its weight within the legal structure of the most significant hemispheric organization. Furthermore, they made proposals on how to strengthen its mechanisms in the promotion of democracy, the work of preventing conflicts and promoting dialogue among the governments of the region.

In particular, the missions that participated in the dialogue, held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, recalled the long process of evolution of the IDC and the possibility of continuing to contribute to perfect it; they referred to the work of a preventive nature that could be conducted through the OAS to address conflicts in its Member States before they occur; they made a call to strengthen the role of the Permanent Council as a forum for the governments of the region to dialogue and share best practices; they affirmed the need to create a special rapporteur or high commissioner for the defense of democracy; they highlighted the need to make compatible the promotion of democracy with the principle of non-intervention; and they affirmed the need to create a collaborative plan of action to implement the IDC, among other proposals and suggestions.

Finally, Secretary General Insulza was especially thanked for his update of April 11, 2011, to the reports on the IDC presented before the Permanent Council in April 2007 and May 2010. The full report of Secretary General Insulza is available here.

The regular session of the Permanent Council held today is part of the commemorative activities to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

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

Reference: E-652/11