AG/RES. 1664 (XXIX-O/99)

CELEBRATION OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS(PACT OF SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA) AND THE 20TH  ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session, held on June 7, 1999)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

CONSIDERING that the Third Special Inter-American Conference (Buenos Aires, 1967) approved the inclusion of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in the list of OAS organs set forth in the OAS Charter and resolved that an inter-American human rights convention should determine the structure, competence, and procedures of the bodies entrusted with such matters;

RECALLING that the American Convention on Human Rights was adopted on November 22, 1969, at the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Human Rights, held in San José, Costa Rica;

RECALLING ALSO that, as a consequence of the entry into force, on July 18, 1978, of the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) upon deposit of the instrument of ratification by an 11th OAS member state, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights was installed in San José, Costa Rica, on September 3, 1979;

MINDFUL that 24 OAS member states have ratified or acceded to the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica), and that 20 states parties have recognized the contentious jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights;

EMPHASIZING the human rights protection and promotion efforts of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and

NOTING that the Government of Costa Rica will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) and the 20th anniversary of the installation of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and that it has extended an invitation to that event to the governments of the OAS member states, the OAS Secretary General, the permanent observers, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, and other regional nongovernmental bodies of importance to the functioning of the system,

RESOLVES:

1. To thank the Government of Costa Rica for hosting the events commemorating the 30th anniversary of the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) and the 20th anniversary of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

2. To include this important celebration, sponsored by the Government of Costa Rica and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, among the official activities of the inter-American human rights system for November 1999.

3. To urge the governments of the OAS member states, the OAS Secretary General, the permanent observers, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to attend or be represented at the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) and the 20th anniversary of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.