AG/RES. 1849 (XXXII-O/02)

MEETING OF MINISTERS OF JUSTICE OR OF MINISTERS OR ATTORNEYS GENERAL OF THE AMERICAS

(Adopted at the fourth plenary session held on June 4, 2002) 

            THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 

            HAVING SEEN the Final Report of the Fourth Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA-IV/doc.24/02 rev. 2), held in Trinidad and Tobago from March 10 to 13, 2002; 

            RECALLING that, in the Plan of Action of the Third Summit of the Americas, the Heads of State and Government decided that they would: 

            Continue to support the work done in the context of the Meetings of Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General of the Americas ... and the implementation of their conclusions and recommendations;

 

            Implement collective strategies, including those that emerge from the Meetings of Ministers of Justice of the Americas, to enhance the institutional ability of states to exchange information and evidence … and strengthen cooperation … to jointly combat emerging forms of transnational criminal activity;

 

            Develop an exchange of best practices and recommendations, through the Meetings of Ministers of Justice … [to] improve prison conditions throughout the Hemisphere; and

 

            Establish, in the OAS, an Internet-based network of information among competent legal authorities on extradition and mutual legal assistance; 

            CONSIDERING that REMJA-IV, convened within the framework of the OAS, adopted, inter alia, the following recommendations: 

That it “initiate a process aimed at the adoption of a hemispheric Plan of Action in the area of mutual legal and judicial cooperation in order to join forces to combat the various manifestations of transnational organized crime and terrorism, in keeping with the commitment made by the Heads of State and Government at the Third Summit of the Americas”;

That, “in the framework of the work of the Special Group of the OAS Permanent Council entrusted with implementing the REMJA recommendations, a group of governmental experts ... be convened as soon as possible,” with the mandate of drawing up a proposed hemispheric Plan of Action, to be submitted to REMJA-V “for consideration and approval”;

That “the Working Group, made up of Argentina, The Bahamas, Canada, and El Salvador, with the support of the OAS General Secretariat, continue its activities” so that the Information Exchange Network for Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters may extend to all states of the Americas and be gradually upgraded; 

That, “in the framework of the OAS, a meeting be convened of officials responsible for the penitentiary and prison policies of the OAS member states for the purpose, inter alia, of promoting the exchange of information and experiences among them ..., including the proposal to set up a permanent information exchange network in this area”; and

That, “in the framework of the activities of the OAS working group to follow up on the REMJA recommendations, the Group of Governmental Experts on Cyber-Crime be reconvened and given the following mandate:  (a) to follow up on implementation of the recommendations prepared by that Group and adopted by REMJA-III, and (b) to consider the preparation of pertinent inter-American legal instruments and model legislation,” 

RESOLVES: 

            1.         To express its appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for hosting the Fourth Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas and for its efficient organization of the Meeting, which helped to make it a success. 

            2.         To instruct the Permanent Council to: 

a.         Follow up on implementation of the recommendations adopted by REMJA-IV. 

b.         Convene, as soon as possible, a group of government experts in mutual legal and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, including the central authorities for the inter-American treaties on legal and judicial cooperation in this area, for the purpose of adopting the hemispheric plan of action referred to in the REMJA-IV recommendations, with a view to its presentation to REMJA-V for consideration. 

c.         Reconvene the Group of Government Experts on Cyber-Crime for the purpose of carrying out the mandates referred to in the REMJA-IV recommendations.

d.         Convene a meeting of authorities responsible for penitentiary and prison policies in the OAS member states, pursuant to the REMJA-IV recommendation. 

            3.         To support the holding of a meeting of the central authorities and other experts on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and accept the offer of the Government of Canada to host this meeting.  

            4.         To request the General Secretariat to provide any necessary technical support for implementing the REMJA-IV recommendations as well as the provisions of this resolution. 

            5.         To request the Permanent Council to follow up on this resolution, which will be implemented in accordance with the resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources, and to request it to present a report on implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirty-third regular session.