AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-O/98)

MODERNIZATION OF THE OAS AND RENEWAL OF THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM

(Resolution adopted at the fifth plenary session, held on June 3, 1998)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING the purposes and principles established in the Charter of the Organization of American States;

CONSIDERING the mandate issued to the ministers by the Heads of State and Government of the member states in the Declaration of Santiago, adopted at the Second Summit of the Americas, to examine ways to strengthen and modernize hemispheric institutions, in particular the Organization of American States, and resolution AG/RES. 1449 (XXVII-O/97), "OAS Contribution to the Summits of the Americas Process"; and

BEARING IN MIND:

The Declaration of Santafé de Bogotá, adopted by the ministers of foreign affairs and heads of delegation on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the OAS; and

The dialogue of foreign ministers and heads of delegation on the renewal of the inter-American system, held during the twenty-eighth regular session of the General Assembly, in Caracas, Venezuela,

RESOLVES:

1. To establish a Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), the chair of which will be determined by the Permanent Council, for the purpose of identifying the aspects with regard to which it is necessary to foster and intensify the process of strengthening and modernizing the OAS by defining strategies, procedures, and concrete actions with a view to promoting a comprehensive renewal of the inter-American system, on the basis of the dialogue of foreign ministers and heads of delegation of the General Assembly.

2. To instruct the above-mentioned Special Joint Working Group to study, as a first step, the organization and working methods of the councils and their subsidiary organs, as well as the General Secretariat, with a view to streamlining their work so they may carry out more efficiently and effectively the mandates entrusted to them; and to instruct the Special Joint Working Group to present its proposals to the Permanent Council and CIDI before the special session at which the General Assembly will consider the program-budget.

3. To request the Secretary General to give his full support to the implementation of this resolution and to present to the Special Joint Working Group, before the month of September 1998, a proposal on the administrative, budgetary, personnel, and management needs of the Organization.

4. To authorize the Permanent Council and CIDI, through its Permanent Executive Committee (CEPCIDI), to adopt such organizational and structural measures as they consider suitable in pursuit of the aims set forth in paragraph 2 of this resolution, including the adoption ad referendum of decisions requiring authorization from the General Assembly; and to report to that organ on the work carried out.

5. To request the General Secretariat to put into effect immediately the decisions adopted in compliance with this resolution.

6. To instruct the Permanent Council to report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its twenty-ninth regular session.