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AG/RES. 1901 (XXXII-O/02)

DECLARATION OF LA PAZ ON DECENTRALIZATION AND ON STRENGTHENING REGIONAL AND MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATIONS AND PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY 

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

            THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 

            HAVING SEEN the report of the Permanent Council on compliance with resolution AG/RES. 1825 (XXXI-O/01), “Support for the Mandates of the Summit of the Americas on Strengthening Municipal and Regional Administrations and on Civil Society” (CP/doc.3594/02); 

            RECALLING the commitments of the Summits of Heads of State and Government in Santiago (1998) and Quebec City (2001) to strengthen municipal and regional administrations and promote citizen participation in public policy, and their recognition that citizen participation and appropriate political representation are the foundation of democracy, and that local governments are closest to the daily lives of citizens; 

            RECALLING IN PARTICULAR the support by the Summit of Quebec City for convening a meeting in Bolivia of ministers or authorities at the highest level responsible for policies on decentralization, local government, and citizen participation at the municipal level; 

            BEARING IN MIND resolutions AG/RES. 1760 (XXX-O/00) and AG/RES. 1825 (XXXI-O/01) “Support for the Mandates of the Summit of the Americas on Strengthening Municipal and Regional Administrations and on Civil Society,” on the subject of the high-level meeting, as well as resolution AG/RES. 1668 (XXIX-O/99), “Strengthening Cooperation between Governments and Civil Society”; and 

            REAFFIRMING the fundamental role of the Organization of American States in the promotion and consolidation of democracy in the Hemisphere and as a forum for dialogue on this issue, as well as its central role in following up and supporting the commitments of the Summits of Heads of State and Government on these areas, 

RESOLVES: 

            1.         To note with satisfaction the holding in La Paz, Bolivia, from July 29 to 31, 2001, of the Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities Responsible for Policies on Decentralization, Local Government, and Citizen Participation at the Municipal Level in the Hemisphere, as well as the results of this first hemispheric meeting on these issues. 

            2.         To express its firm support for the objectives set by the ministers and high-level authorities in the Declaration of La Paz on Decentralization and on Strengthening Regional and Municipal Administrations and Participation of Civil Society, as well as for the establishment of the High-Level Inter-American Network on Decentralization, Local Government, and Citizen Participation (RIAD) as an institutionalized entity for inter-American cooperation on these issues. 

            3.         To recognize the initiatives taken by the Government of Bolivia in support of follow-up of the issues of decentralization, regional and municipal administrations, and civil society participation defined by the Summits of the Americas, and in particular to express its appreciation to Bolivia for the facilities provided for holding this successful ministerial meeting. 

            4.         To express appreciation to the General Secretariat for the support provided and in particular to the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy for the technical advice in the preparation and holding of the meeting, and to urge the Unit, in its capacity as Technical Secretariat of the RIAD and taking into account available budgetary resources, to continue these efforts so as to make progress in implementing the key areas and actions indicated by the ministers and high-level authorities. 

            5.         To reiterate the request by the ministers and high-level authorities to the Inter-American Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the World Bank, the Andean Development Corporation, and other entities for special support in developing and implementing the decisions of the ministers and high-level authorities, and to request the Secretary General of the Organization to transmit this resolution to these agencies. 

            6.         To express appreciation to the Government of Mexico for its offer to host the Second Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities, to take place in Mexico City in the second semester of 2003, and to request the General Secretariat to provide support to this meeting. 

            7.         To instruct the Permanent Council to convene that meeting. 

            8.         To request the Secretary General to present a report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirty-third regular session. 

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