Introduction

At the Second Summit of the Americas, held in Santiago, Chile, in 1998, in the Plan of Action agreed at that meeting, the Heads of State and Government of the Hemisphere decided to promote "regional dialogue with a view to revitalizing and strengthening the institutions of the Inter-American system, taking into account the new political, economic, social, and strategic-military factors in the Hemisphere and in its subregions."

To that end, the Organization of American States, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CHS), was instructed to:

• Follow up on and expand topics relating to confidence and security-building measures;

• Analyze the meaning, scope, and implications of international security concepts in the Hemisphere, with a view to developing the most appropriate common approaches by which to manage their various aspects, including disarmament and arms control; and

• Pinpoint ways to revitalize and strengthen the institutions of the Inter-American System related to the various aspects of Hemispheric Security.

This mandate was reiterated by the Heads of State and Government gathered at the Third Summit of the Americas, held on Quebec City, Canada on 2001.

The Plan of Action adopted in Quebec decided that States would "hold a Special Conference on Security in 2004, for which the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security will conclude the review of all issues related to approaches to international security in the Hemisphere, as defined at the Santiago Summit".

• Documents

• Special Meetings and Sessions

DOCUMENTS

Note from the Permanent Mission of Honduras transmitting the names of the experts who will speak on the central american experience with the framework treaty on democratic security in Central America at the meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security on October 29, 2002 CP/CSH-501/02

List of OAS studies and reports related to hemispheric security CP/CSH/INF.11/02

Bilateral and subregional aspects of hemispheric security (CP/CSH/INF.14/02)

• The experience of MERCOSUR, Bolivia, and Chile (Presented by the Delegation of Brazil) CP/CSH/INF.14/02

• The Andean Charter For Peace And Security (Presented by the Delegation of Peru)add. 1

• Approaches on security in the Caribbean Region (Presented by the Delegation of Guyana) add. 2

• The regional security system:  Multilateral aspects of hemispheric security (Presented by the Delegation  of Antigua and Barbuda) add. 3

• Framework Treaty on Democratic Security in Central America (Presented by Dr. Mauricio Herdocia Sacasa) add. 4

• The framework treaty on democratic security in Central America (Presented by the Delegation of El Salvador) add. 5

United States National Strategy To Secure Cyberspace (Presented by the Delegation of the United States) CP/CSH/INF.15/02

• Statement by Ms. Michele G. Markoff, Senior Coordinator for International Critical Infrastructure Protection Policy, United States Department of State add.1
• Reference documents on cyber security add. 2

National approaches to and bilateral and subregional aspects of hemispheric security (CP/CSH/INF.16/02)

• Colombia - CP/CSH/INF.16/02

• United States- add. 1

• Argentina - add. 2

• Venezuela - add. 3

• Brazil - add. 4

• Chile - add. 5

Conventional Security:  CP/CSH/INF.18/02

International code of conduct against ballistic missile proliferation (ICOC), "The Hague Code of Conduct", adopted in The Hague on November 25, 2002 CP/CSH/INF.21/03

SPECIAL MEETINGS AND SESSIONS

"Forum on the Future of International Security in the Hemisphere". On April 19 and 20 of 1999, the Permanent Missions of Chile and the United States of America held an academic forum in which eminent analysts and experts on the topic participated. 

Third Meeting with the participations of governmental experts of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (November 13 and 14 of 2000) - To further explore the need to develop a multidimensional definition of security that will encompass the different concerns and threats to the region. The Committee also underscored the importance of sub regional agreements already in existence as building blocs to the hemispheric system. (See, theReport by the Chair and the Rapporteur's Report).

General Assembly Resolutions