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Background
To date, permanent observer status has been
granted to 59 states and the European Union.
Of this number, approximately 21 contribute
to OAS programs on a regular basis and an
additional seven contribute sporadically.
The permanent observers provide assistance and cooperation for various OAS programs in the form of cash contributions, training courses, experts, specialized services, and the donation of equipment. The principal areas to which these countries provide support are: the promotion of democracy, human rights, demining, conflict resolution, efforts against drug trafficking, and sustainable development and the environment, among others.
Origin of funds
1999-2005
In the past seven years, the permanent
observers have contributed more than US$68
million in cash to the Organization’s
activities and programs. Of this amount,
more than 55 percent has been donated by the
Governments of Sweden ($25.4 million) and
Norway ($12.6 million), primarily for
programs related to the promotion of
democracy and demining in the region.
Another 41 percent of the contributions have
come from The Netherlands, Spain, the
European Union, the United Kingdom, Denmark,
Japan, Italy, and France. In other words,
these 10 observers have contributed 96
percent of the total amount of contributions
made to the Organization since 1999.
Similarly, in the past seven years, the Organization has received the equivalent of US$6.9 million in contributions in kind from Spain, Israel, Korea, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, and Thailand, primarily in training scholarships and in the form of equipment, computers, and vehicles.
2005
Contributions
Donors
In 2005, the Organization received cash contributions totaling about US$11.6 million from the following permanent observers: China, Denmark, the European Union, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
Of the contributions
received in 2005, 40 percent came from
Sweden, 18 percent from Norway, 15 percent
from the Netherlands, and 8 percent from the
European Union. Together the other 12
countries contributed 19 percent of the
total received in 2005.
During the same period, an in-kind
contribution was received from Korea for the
Mission to Support the Peace Process in
Colombia (MAPP OAS), in the form of
computers and other office equipment valued
at approximately $US110,000. Similarly,
France sent an expert on money laundering
from its Ministry of the Interior to support
the work of CICAD (contribution equivalent
to US$96,000).
Programs that
received donations
The areas that most benefited from the
contributions were: the Department of
Democratic and Political Affairs (69%), the
Department of Multidimensional Security
(15%), and the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights (12%). The Office of Education,
Science, and Technology; the Department of
Communications and External Relations; the
Inter-American Commission of Women; the
Inter-American Children's Institute; the
Summits Secretariat; the Office of Legal
Cooperation; the Office of Sustainable
Development and Environment; and the
Executive Secretariat for Integral
Development also received contributions but
in lesser amounts (4%).
Trends
Permanent observer status was
established in 1972 to foster cooperative
relations with non-member states that
participated in the Organization’s programs.
In point of fact, during the 1970s and
1980s, most of the permanent observers
supported OAS efforts primarily in the area
of technical cooperation, by providing
scholarships, training courses, and experts.
However, the restoration
of democracy in Latin America in the 1990s
led to a radical shift. The permanent
observers became interested in supporting
the Organization’s programs geared primarily
toward the promotion of democracy, the
protection of human rights, conflict
resolution, and regional security.
Likewise, global political and economic
realities in the last decade have prompted
developed as well as small and emerging
countries to obtain permanent observer
status since, as they are not broadly
represented in the region through their
diplomatic missions, they see the OAS as an
instrument for strengthening their ties with
the OAS member states, becoming more
familiar with the hemispheric agenda, and
playing a more active role in regional
activities. Some 50 percent of the permanent
observers requested permanent observer
status in the last 10 years.
Priority lines of action for the future
Although the Nordic countries, the European Union, and the Netherlands have been the most generous to the Organization, the donations of these countries—as well as others—should be much greater.
Measures are therefore being taken to strengthen ties with the donor countries in order to consolidate and increase existing cooperation and identify new areas of common interest and additional opportunities for cooperation, as well as to demonstrate the comparative advantages and the complementary nature of multilateral donations in their bilateral efforts, reinforce the presence of the OAS as the principal political forum in the region, and ensure the quality and efficiency of OAS action, and appropriate project implementation and reporting. The OAS will thus be seen as an effective and reliable conduit for the Official Development Assistance (ODA) provided by the principal and other donors.
COUNTRY | RECIPIENT AREA/PROJECT | CASH | TOTAL |
SWEDEN | IACHR -Follow-up of Demobilization Process in Colombia | 181,922 | 4,707,846 |
IACHR- Rapporteurship for Freedom of Expression | 65,537 | ||
DDPA – Electoral Observation Mission Bolivia 2005 | 100,276 | ||
DDPA – Electoral Program Support | 953,721 | ||
DDPA – MAPP OAS Colombia | 92,559 | ||
DDPA – Modernization and Legislative Agenda of Congress | 634,100 | ||
DDPA – Political Management Guatemala | 421,734 | ||
DDPA –Electoral System Guatemala 2005-2007 | 350,834 | ||
DDPA –Modernization of Electoral System in Guatemala | 59,024 | ||
DDPA – Support to Rural Judicial Facilitators | 1,438,393 | ||
DMS – Demining PADCA Nicaragua | 409,746 | ||
NORWAY | OSF – Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples | 39,749 | 2,112,651 |
DDPA – Conflict Resolution Program Guatemala | 542,205 | ||
DDPA – Electoral Observation Mission Venezuela 2005 | 107,159 | ||
DDPA – Political Management Guatemala | 542,081 | ||
DDPA – Special Mission Strengthening Democracy in Haiti | 157,376 | ||
DMS – Demining AICMA/PADCA NI F04 | 506,969 | ||
DMS – Demining PADCA Guatemala | 214,136 | ||
SEDI – Special Ports Program | 976 | ||
IIN/IACI – Children’s Rights Videos | 2,000 | ||
NETHERLANDS | DDPA - Inter-American Forum on Political Parties | 10,004 | 1,744,109 |
DDPA – Electoral Observation Mission Bolivia | 94,955 | ||
DDPA – MAPP OAS | 1,500,000 | ||
DDPA – Political Management Guatemala | 139,150 | ||
EUROPEAN UNION | IACHR - Strengthening Access to Justice in Americas (Phase II) | 512,414 | 913,917 |
DMS – AICMA/PADCA NI F04 & SP -EACO | 293,232 | ||
OSDE– Integration of Sustainable Development to RTA’s | 108,271 | ||
SPAIN | IACHR – Strengthening System of IACHR’s Cases | 238,790 | 540,682 |
DMS – CICAD- Decentralization of National Drug Plan | 237,440 | ||
OEST – Development of Micro & Small Business | 48,987 | ||
SEDI – Special Ports Program | 15,465 | ||
UNITED KINGDOM | DDPA – Fund for Peace – Belize/Guatemala Subfund | 492,140 | 492,140 |
ITALY | IACHR – Promoting HR Education in the Caribbean | 61,950 | 317,555 |
IACHR – Rapporteurship Rights Indigenous People | 61,950 | ||
IACHR – Rapporteurship Rights Persons Deprived of Freedom | 61,950 | ||
IACHR – Strengthening System of IACHR’s cases | 22,618 | ||
DDPA – Political Party Focus on Haiti | 61,985 | ||
DDPA – Special Mission Strengthening Democracy in Haiti | 19,455 | ||
DMS – Demining | 27,647 | ||
IRELAND | DDPA – MAPP OAS Colombia | 155,996 | 311,971 |
IACHR – Support to Colombia | 155,975 | ||
CHINA | DCER – Americas Magazine | 3,200 | 200,000 |
DCER – Art Museum of the Americas | 20,000 | ||
IIN/IACI – Children’s Videogame Project | 25,000 | ||
DCER – Lecture Series of the Americas | 40,000 | ||
DCER – Meeting of Government Spokespersons of Americas | 60,000 | ||
CIM – Gender Training Course | 30,000 | ||
CIFTA – Experts Meeting | 21,800 | ||
DENMARK | DDPA – Electoral Observation Mission Bolivia 2005 | 100,000 | 150,000 |
DDPA – Electoral Observation Mission Honduras 2005 | 50,000 | ||
KOREA | DDPA – Electoral Observation Mission Honduras 2005 | 20,000 | 50,000 |
DDPA – Electoral Observation Mission Venezuela 2005 | 30,000 | ||
FRANCE | DMS – CICAD General Fund | 47,468 | 47,468 |
GREECE | DCER – Lecture Series | 15,000 | 30,000 |
DCER – Meeting of Government Spokespersons of Americas | 15,000 | ||
TURKEY | DCER – Art Museum of the Americas | 6,000 | 12,200 |
DCER – Americas Magazine | 3,200 | ||
DMS - CICTE | 3,000 | ||
QATAR | DCER – Art Museum of the Americas | 10,000 | 10,000 |
GERMANY | OEST -PBT | 9,500 | 9,500 |
TOTAL: | 11,650,039 |
IACHR:
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
DDPA: Department of Democratic and Political
Affairs
DMS: Department of Multidimensional Security
OSF: Office of Summit Follow-Up
SEDI: Executive Secretariat for Integral
Development
OEST: Office of Education, Science, and
Technology
DCER: Department of Communications and
External Relations
CIM: Inter-American Commission on Women
CIFTA: Inter-American Convention against the
Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in
Firearms, Ammunition,
Explosives, and other related Materials
IIN: Inter-American Children´s Institute
OSDE: Office of Sustainable Development and
Environment
ANEXO 4B
PO IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS 2005
COUNTRY | RECIPIENT AREA/PROJECT | EQUIVALENT AMOUNT IN US$ | TOTAL |
SPAIN | OEST: Fellowships and Training | $270,400 Fellowships, Training and Experts | 270,400 |
KOREA | DDPA: MAPP/OAS Colombia | 110,000 in Equipment | 110,000 |
FRANCE | DMS: CICAD: Anti-Money Laundering Support | 96,000 provision of a Money Laundering Specialist | 96,000 |
CHINA | OEST: Fellowhships and Training | $40,000 Language Programs | 40,000 |
TOTAL: | 516,400 |