Functions

Article 4 of the “Document of Washington” establishes the functions of the REMJA as follows:

  • Act as a hemispheric forum for information and experience sharing, public policy coordination, and consolidation and strengthening of cooperation in the areas of responsibility of the authorities who participate in these meetings.
  • Formulate recommendations to the OAS member states in order to ensure that the public policies and cooperation measures they adopt in the areas of responsibility of the authorities who take part in the REMJA are increasingly effective, efficient, and expeditious.
  • Follow up on their recommendations and, to that end, and as necessary, assign specific mandates to working groups or technical meetings, which shall submit reports to the REMJA on progress in the pursuit of said mandates between its meetings.
  • Continue to follow up and to authorize the furtherance of work under mandates currently in progress, which are the subject of recommendations from REMJA meetings held prior to the approval by REMJA of this document.
  • Promote strengthening of coordination and cooperation between the REMJA and other OAS organs, agencies, entities and mechanisms and, to that end, formulate recommendations and follow up on them to the extent they deem appropriate.
  • Promote and facilitate coordination and collaboration between the REMJA and other international cooperation processes in the areas of responsibility of authorities who take part in the REMJA.
  • Discharge its duties in relation to the Justice Studies Center of the Americas (JSCA) in accordance with their respective statutes, rules of procedure, and provisions that reform, supplement, or develop them.
  • Such other functions as may be necessary to improve and consolidate information and experience sharing, public policy coordination, and consolidation and strengthening of international cooperation in the areas of responsibility of the authorities who participate in the REMJA.