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THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council to the General
Assembly (AG/doc.4265/04 add. 3) on inter-American summits management and
civil society participation in OAS activities;
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT resolution AG/RES. 1915 (XXXIII-O/03), "Increasing
and Strengthening Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities";
BEARING IN MIND the Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society
Organizations in OAS Activities, approved by the Permanent Council in its
resolution CP/RES. 759 (1217/99) and endorsed by the General Assembly in
its resolution AG/RES. 1707 (XXX-O/00);
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION the Strategies for Increasing and
Strengthening Participation by Civil Society Organizations in OAS
Activities, approved by the Permanent Council on March 26, 2003, by way
of resolution CP/RES. 840 (1361/03), and subsequently endorsed by way of
resolution AG/RES. 1915 (XXXIII-O/03);
BEARING IN MIND that the Plan of Action of the Third Summit of the
Americas states that, among other initiatives, governments will develop
strategies at the national level and through the OAS to increase the
capacity of civil society to participate more fully in the inter-American
system;
CONSIDERING that the Declaration of Nuevo León, adopted at the Special
Summit of the Americas on January 13, 2004, in Monterrey, Mexico,
recognizes the role of civil society and its contribution to sound public
administration and reaffirms the importance of continuing to forge new
partnerships that will enable constructive ties to be built between
governments, nongovernmental organizations, international organizations,
and the diverse sectors of civil society to work in favor of development
and democracy;
CONSIDERING ALSO that Article 6 of the Inter-American Democratic
Charter states that “It is the right and responsibility of all citizens
to participate in decisions relating to their own development. This is a
necessary condition for the full and effective exercise of democracy.
Promoting and fostering diverse forms of participation strengthens
democracy”;
BEARING IN MIND ALSO that the Declaration of Nuevo León encourages the
participation of civil society in the Summits of the Americas process and
proposes institutionalizing meetings with civil society and with the
academic and private sectors;
NOTING WITH SATISFACTION the establishment of the Specific Fund to
Support the Participation of Civil Society Organizations in OAS
Activities and in the Summits of the Americas Process, by way of
resolution CP/RES. 864 (1413/04), to support participation by civil
society organizations in OAS activities, including the informal dialogue
of heads of delegation of the OAS member states, the Secretary General of
the Organization, and civil society organization representatives, which
has been included on the draft schedule for regular sessions of the OAS
General Assembly, before the inaugural session, as a regular activity, as
indicated in resolution AG/RES. 1915 (XXXIII-O/03), "Increasing and
Strengthening Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities";
EMPHASIZING the importance of document CP/CISC-106/04, “Review of the
Rules of Procedure for Civil Society Participation with the Organization
of American States";
RECOGNIZING that it is important for civil society organizations to
play a role in strengthening democracy in all member states and to make a
significant contribution to the activities of the OAS and of the organs,
agencies, and entities of the inter-American system; and
RECOGNIZING ALSO that civil society participation in OAS activities
should be carried out in a context of close collaboration between the
political and institutional bodies of the Organization,
RESOLVES:
1. To reaffirm the commitment of the member states of the Organization
to continue strengthening mechanisms for civil society participation in
the Summits of the Americas process and in the activities of the OAS, as
well as the willingness of the Organization to implement concrete actions
designed to achieve the effective participation of civil society in the
process of the Summits and the OAS.
2. To instruct the Permanent Council, the Inter-American Council for
Integral Development (CIDI), and the General Secretariat, in coordination
with all organs, agencies, and entities of the OAS, to continue to
facilitate the implementation of the Strategies for Increasing and
Strengthening Participation by Civil Society Organizations in OAS
Activities, approved by the Permanent Council on March 26, 2003 [CP/RES.
840 (1361/03)] and endorsed by way of resolution AG/RES. 1915
(XXXIII-O/03), "Increasing and Strengthening Civil Society Participation
in OAS Activities."
3. To urge member states to report on existing procedures and
regulations at the national level regarding consultations with civil
society on the formulation of government policies and decision-making, to
allow for an exchange of experience and best practices among the member
states.
4. To continue to actively support the registration of civil society
organizations and their participation in OAS activities.
5. To request the Committee for Inter-American Summits Management and
Civil Society Participation in OAS Activities, with the active
participation of the Secretariat for the Summits Process, to prepare a
report on the results achieved to date with respect to civil society
participation in the Summits process and in the activities of the OAS,
incorporating the views of registered organizations with respect to
access to information, transparency of the mechanisms for participation,
and modalities for participation.
6. To invite all member states, the permanent observers, and other
donors, as defined in Article 73 of the General Standards to Govern the
Operations of the General Secretariat and other rules and regulations of
the Organization, to contribute to the specific voluntary fund, “Fund for
Civil Society Participation,” to support participation by civil society
organizations in OAS activities, including the dialogue of heads of
delegation with representatives of civil society organizations.
7. To continue to urge member states to:
a. Participate in the dialogue of heads of delegation with
representatives of civil society organizations; and
b. Continue their efforts to open broader windows of participation in
OAS activities to civil society organizations.
8. To recognize the efforts of the host country to work with the
General Secretariat and civil society organizations in order to
facilitate and help organize civil society participation at the dialogue
of heads of delegation, in accordance with the provisions established in
resolution CP/RES. 840 (1361/03), and encourage future hosts to continue
and build on these traditions.
9. To instruct the General Secretariat to continue to support member
states that so request in their efforts to increase the institutional
capacity of their governments to receive, absorb, and act on civil
society input and advocacy, if possible through the use of information
and communication technologies.
10. To instruct the General Secretariat to carry out the activities
referred to in this resolution within the resources allocated in the
program-budget of the Organization and other resources.
11. To request the Permanent Council to present a report to the
General Assembly at its thirty-fifth regular session on the
implementation of this resolution. |
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