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BACKGROUND
To date, permanent observer status has been granted to 59 states and the European Union. Of this number, approximately 20 contribute to OAS programs on a regular basis and an additional eight 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 Department of External Relations works diligently with the technical units to raise supplementary funds from the international community in order to be able to respond to the mandates of the political organs of the Organization and support the efforts of the countries of the Hemisphere to comply with those mandates. The principal areas to which these countries provide support are: the promotion of democracy, human rights, demining, conflict resolution, efforts to combat drug trafficking, and sustainable development and the environment, among others.
ORIGIN OF FUNDS 1999-2006
In the past eight years, the permanent observers have contributed more than US$87 million in cash to the Organization’s activities and programs. Of this amount, more than 68 percent has been donated by the Governments of Sweden (US$32 million), Norway (US$14 million), and Spain (US$13 million). Another 29 percent of the contributions have come from The Netherlands, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Japan, Italy, France, and Finland. In other words, these 11 observers have contributed 97 percent of the total amount of contributions made to the Organization since 1999.
Similarly, in the past eight years, the Organization has received the equivalent of over US$7 million in contributions in kind from Spain, Israel, France, Russia, Italy, Thailand, Romania, and China, primarily in training scholarships and in the form of equipment, computers, and vehicles. Of that, Spain contributed 60 percent, making it the largest in-kind donor.
Donors
In 2006, cooperation assistance from permanent observer countries increased 64 percent, compared to 2005. The Organization received cash contributions in that period (2006) totaling US$19,080,470 from the following permanent observers: Spain, Sweden, Norway, the European Union, Italy, Finland, The Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, Korea, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Qatar, and Thailand.
Of the contributions received in 2006, 38 percent came from Spain, 35 percent from Sweden, 9 percent from Norway, and 5 percent from the European Union. Together, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, and Korea contributed 6 percent of the total. Italy, The Netherlands, and Finland each contributed 2 percent of the total. Small contributions were also received from Denmark, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Qatar, and Thailand, which, together, accounted for 1 percent of the total.
It is important to mention that in 2006 Spain’s contributions increased 1,244 percent, that is to say, thirteen-fold the amount of the previous year, thanks to the establishment of the Spanish Fund for the OAS, with initial contributions totaling over US$7 million. This was the outcome of a special effort of the Secretary General and the Department of External Relations, which coincided, moreover, with the new Spanish Government’s policies designed to take this traditional working relationship to higher levels and benefited from the resolute support provided by the Spanish mission. The Government of Spain also signed a cooperation agreement with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, witnessed by the General Secretariat.
Sweden – the principal donor of the past eight years – also increased its cooperation contributions in 2006, by 44 percent compared to the previous year, thereby supporting major initiatives promoted by the Secretary General in response to mandates assigned by the governing bodies. Other permanent observers that significantly increased their cooperation in 2006 were the European Union, Korea, Japan, Italy, France, Finland, Germany, and Turkey.
Conversely, contributions by The Netherlands declined by 81 percent compared to 2005, from US$1.7 million to US$0.3 million. Norway, the United Kingdom, and Denmark also contributed less than in the previous year. Israel, Switzerland, and Cyprus have traditionally supported the work of the Organization by making financial contributions, but have not done so for the past two years.
Finally, China and Qatar maintained the same level of cooperation assistance as in 2005, while Thailand made its first cash contribution, which was aimed at the underpinning the efforts of the Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia (Thailand began cooperating with OAS activities, starting in 2005 with the offer of specialized training scholarships). The 2006 contributions announced by Ireland during the OAS General Assembly in Santo Domingo had not yet been received at year’s end.
Contributions in kind totaled more than US$743,631 in 2006, when Spain was once again the principal donor, supporting training efforts by offering courses and scholarships equivalent to US$485,000. During the same period, an in-kind contribution was also received from Korea, worth approximately US$100,000, in the form of computers and other office equipment for Panama and Nicaragua, through the Inter-American Children’s Institute. Korea also offered scholarships worth US$50,000. Similarly, China offered three scholarships, through the Ministry of Education, to study Chinese and Chinese culture, worth US$5,400 and France sent an instructor to the Private International Law course held in Rio de Janeiro (a contribution equivalent to US$3,000).
Programs that received donations
The areas that most benefited from contributions in kind in 2006 were: the Department of Political Affairs (61%), the Department of Multidimensional Security (23%), and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (10%). The Executive Secretariat for Integral Development and some smaller units in the General Secretariat also received contributions, but in lesser amounts. It should be pointed out that the bulk of the contributions received in the Department of Multidimensional Security were earmarked for demining activities in the region.
Other activities aimed at strengthening cooperation with Permanent Observers during 2006
The Department of External Relations promoted the active participation and cooperation of the 60 Permanent Observers in order to discover the areas in which the OAS and potential donors share priorities, creating opportunities for exchanges with the technical units and arranging visits to senior government officials in order to negotiate support for specific activities. The Department also continued its efforts to increase their involvement in the life of the Organization by means of briefings, exchanges of information, special events, and ongoing working meetings in Washington and during the General Assembly. A particularly successful meeting took between the representatives of the Permanent Observers at the General Assembly and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member states, when 11 permanent observer countries announced financial commitments to OAS programs totaling approximately US$10 million for the second half of the year.
In the period covered by this report, the OAS also received high-level visits by the Americas Directors of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Ministries of Cooperation and Development of permanent observer countries; by the Spanish Defense Minister, José Antonio Alonso, and a delegation of distinguished Spanish senators; by the Assistant Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Italy, Donato Di Santo; and by senior officials in the European Commission.
In addition, the Department arranged several visits by the Secretary General to Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, and the European Union, during which he met with the highest-level government authorities. At OAS headquarters, the Secretary General also welcomed Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who addressed the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs.
Finally, there were also meetings with senior officials from permanent observer countries in the framework of the United Nations General Assembly, including a meeting of the Secretary General with the European Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero Waldner.
Future priority areas of activity
Although the Scandinavian countries, Spain, the European Union, and The Netherlands have proved to be the Organization’s most generous supporters, the fact is that much of the potential for donations from most of those countries remains untapped. Unfortunately, many of them favor bilateral cooperation.
The OAS therefore needs to continue its efforts to establish a closer rapport with donor countries in order to: strengthen and increase existing cooperation; identify new areas of common interest and additional opportunities for cooperation; demonstrate the comparative advantages of multilateral, versus bilateral, donations; and to boost the image of the OAS as the foremost political forum in the region, dedicated to promoting democracy, defending human rights, and increasing the security and prosperity of the inhabitants of the Americas.
To achieve those goals, the Department of External Relations will continue its high-level talks with the authorities responsible for cooperation in the capitals of permanent observer countries, and with the ambassadors of those countries accredited with the OAS, in order to achieve – as it did with the Spanish government -- a substantial and lasting boost to international cooperation by means of formal agreements to support and finance projects and activities in areas of common concern and mutual priority.
Here, too, it is worth mentioning the important work of the Department of External Relation in its capacity as technical secretariat to the Fundraising Committee, which aims to improve the coordination of fundraising efforts in keeping with the Organization’s image. To that end, in 2006, the Department of External Affairs arranged a series of meetings with members of the Committee in order to exchange information regarding the needs and opportunities to support priority projects on the inter-American agenda; to evaluate the outcomes of activities financed by outside donors; to review and draw up a proposed methodology for determining the direct and indirect costs of projects; and to prepare an integral OAS fundraising strategy. That work has, moreover, gone hand in hand with efforts by the Projects Evaluation Committee to enhance the relevance and quality of the projects that the Organization generates and brings to the attention of the international community. Better prepared projects stand a greater chance of being approved by potential donors.
Both committees have made good progress, which should be consolidated in the coming months and which will undoubtedly result in better projects and more funds to allow the Organization to respond adequately to the needs of our member states and the expectations of the political organs.
COUNTRY | RECIPIENT AREA/PROJECT | CASH | TOTAL |
SWEDEN | PA - MAPP Colombia | $1.243.556 | US$6,766,383 |
PA - Promotion of Democracy Honduras | $767.998 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy Guatemala | $536.317 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy Guatemala | $668.470 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy Guatemala | $394.229 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy Nicaragua | $1.240.189 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Nicaragua | $410.773 | ||
IACHR- Support to Human Rights Activities related to the MAPP | $198.483 | ||
MS - Department of prevention of Threats against Public Security Demining programs | $1.306.368 | ||
NORWAY | PA - MAPP Colombia | $301.643 | US$1,765,092 |
PA - Crisis Prevention and Specialized Missions | $267.320 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy Guatemala | $504.771 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Nicaragua | $30.460 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Peru | $18.602 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE2006 Regional Peru | $3.398 | ||
MS - Department of prevention of Threats against Public Security. Demining programs | $638.898 | ||
NETHERLANDS | SEDI - Support to Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Development | $150,511 | US$318,577 |
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Nicaragua | $98.066 | ||
CIM - Participation and Gender Equity in Nicaragua | $70.000 | ||
EUROPEAN UNION | MS - Department of prevention of Threats against Public Security. Demining programs | $942.400 | US$1,003,730 |
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Dominican Republic | $61.330 | ||
SPAIN | MS - CICAD Descentralización de polÃticas de drogas. | $256.340 | US$7.264.076 |
MS - Department of prevention of Threats against Public Security. Demining programs | $750.220 | ||
MS - CICTE | $89.418 | ||
PA - MAPP Colombia | $2.399.608 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy | $361.830 | ||
PA - MOE 2006 Venezuela | $127.180 | ||
PA - Identity, Registration and citizen participation | $542,700 | ||
PA - Institutional Strengthening program of electoral matters | $453.960 | ||
PA - State of Democracy in Latin America and proposals to an universal democracy. | $50.000 | ||
PA - Implementation of the methodology plan to analyze different political stages. | $294.687 | ||
IACHR - Strengthening of the capacities of protection and promotion of the IACHR. | $733.900 | ||
IACHR - Strengthening of the action jurisdictional of the IA court of HR. | $300.000 | ||
IACHR - Itinerant court | $190.000 | ||
OSG - OAS Work Group - Promotion of the participation and the HR for the Indigenous Peoples. | $472.956 | ||
OSG - Consolidation of the network of information exchange to strengthen access and the effectivity of justice. | $100.000 | ||
Founds to be programmed | $ 141.277 | ||
UNITED KINGDOM | PA - Crisis Prevention and Specialized Missions Belice - Guatemala | $137.800 | US$241,900 |
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Guyana | $94.600 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 St. Lucia | $9.500 | ||
ITALY | MS - Demining Programs | $293.735 | US$432.707 |
IACHR - Promoting HR in Andean Region and Central America | $86.388 | ||
SF - Elaboration of the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. | $52.584 | ||
THAILAND | PA - MAPP Colombia | $10,000 | US$10,000 |
CHINA | SEDI - Promotion of Trade and Competitiveness | $40,000 | US$200,000 |
SEDI - Reduction of Natural Disasters | $40,000 | ||
CIM - Training Course on Gender, Conflict and Peace | $20,000 | ||
PA - Panama Canal Referendum Electoral Observation Mission | $20,000 | ||
MS - Reduction of Violence: Gangs Definition and Classification | $30,000 | ||
DER - II Government Spokespersons Meeting | $50,000 | ||
DENMARK | PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Nicaragua | $50.000 | US$50,000 |
KOREA | PA- Interamerican Forum of Political Parties | $50.000 | US$130,000 |
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Peru Presidential | $11.513 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Peru Regional | $28.487 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Ecuador | $20.000 | ||
PA - Panama Canal Referendum Electoral Observation Mission | $20.000 | ||
FRANCE | IACHR - Support to Human Rights Activities in Haiti | $171.304 | US$255.538 |
DER - Lecture Series of the Americas | $11.994 | ||
SF - American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. | $20.000 | ||
MS - CICAD | $52.240 | ||
GREECE | MS - Study of Gangs Involved in Human Trafficking | $10,000 | US$20,000 |
DER - Lecture Series of the Americas | $10,000 | ||
TURKEY | MS - CICTE | $4,000 | US$16,000 |
MS - CICAD | $4,000 | ||
Art Museum of the Americas | $4,000 | ||
Americas Magazine | $4,000 | ||
QATAR | DER - Lecture Series of the Americas | $10,000 | US$10,000 |
JAPAN | PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Nicaragua | $100.000 | US$212.250 |
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Peru | $92.250 | ||
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Ecuador | $20.000 | ||
FINLAND | IACHR - Support to Rapporteurship on the Rights of Women | $282.337 | US$332.337 |
PA - Promotion of Democracy MOE 2006 Venezuela | $50.000 | ||
GERMANY | SEDI - Disaster Risk Mgmt. Project | $31,880 | US$31,880 |
TOTAL: | US$19,080,470 |
IACHR: Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights
PA: Political Affairs
MS: Multidimensional Security
SF: Summit Follow-Up
SEDI: Executive Secretariat for Integral Development
OEST: Office of Education, Science, and Technology
DER: Department of External Relations
CIM: Inter-American Commission on Women
MAPP: Support Mission to the Peace Process
OSG: Office of the Secretary General
PO IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS 2006
COUNTRY | RECIPIENT AREA/PROJECT | EQUIVALENT AMOUNT IN US$ | TOTAL |
SPAIN | Eight Short-term Training Courses | US$485.171 | US$485.171 |
KOREA | Computers for schools in Panama and Nicaragua, through the Inter-American Children’s Institute. | US$100.000 | US$150.000 |
E-trade and Export Promotion for OAS member Countries. | US$50.000 | ||
ISRAEL | Training Courses YABT | US$100.000 | US$100.000 |
FRANCE | Course on Intl. Law Rio, Brazil | US$3,000 | US$3,000 |
CHINA | Language & Culture (Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China | US$5.460 | US$5.460 |
TOTAL: | US$743,631 |
September 12, 2006 Alexandros Mallias, Greece's Permanent Observer to the OAS, presented at $20,000 contribution to Secretary General José Miguel Insulza to support the Lecture Series of the Americas and OAS efforts against drug trafficking.
August 3, 2006 The Republic of Korea presented a donation to the Inter-American Children's Institute at OAS Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
August 1, 2006 The People's Republic of China contributed donations to several programs carried out by the OAS General Secretariat.
June 26, 2006 Spain demonstrated its commitment to the OAS through the signing of a new agreement, establishing a special fund to finance projects of mutual interest.