NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY,
PETER M. BOEHM,
AMBASSADOR OF CANADA TO THE OAS
CEGCI Meeting November 7, 2000
1. WELCOME
- NOTRE PRÉCÉDENTE RENCONTRE, LE 19 SEPTEMBRE DERNIER A ÉTÉ
EXTRÊMEMENT FRUCTUEUSE. LA PRÉSIDENCE A REÇU DES
COMMENTAIRES TRÈS POSITIFS DES EXPERTS PRÉSENTS ET DES REPRÉSENTANTS
DES PAYS MEMBRES SUR LE SUCCÈS DE LA RENCONTRE DU 19
SEPTEMBRE. EN PARTICULIER J’AIMERAIS MENTIONNER LA CORDIALITÉ
DES ÉCHANGES, LE CLIMAT CONSTRUCTIF, LA PERTINENCE DES
SUGGESTIONS TRANSMISES ET LA RELATION DE CONFIANCE QUI
S’INSTALLE GRÂCE À NOS TRAVAUX ET AUX LIGNES DIRECTRICES
DE L’OÉA POUR LA PARTICIPATION DE LA SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE À
SES ACTIVITÉS, ENTRE LES DIFFÉRENTS ACTEURS DE LA DÉMOCRATIE
DANS NOTRE HÉMISPHÈRE.
- JE ME DOIS DE VOUS EN FÉLICITER TOUS CAR LA CRÉDIBILITÉ
ET LA PERTINENCE DE NOS INSTITUTIONS, DE NOS SOMMETS ET DE NOS
RÉALISATIONS EN DÉPENDENT.
- LA COMMISSION ENTEND DONC PORSUIVRE DANS CETTE VOIE ET, À
L’OCCASION D’UNE PROCHAINE RÉUNION, QUI PORTERA SUR LA
PRIORITÉ "CRÉER LA PROSPÉRITÉ" DU PLAN
D’ACTION DU PROCHAIN SOMMET IMPLIQUER PLUS LARGEMENT ENCORE
LA SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE DANS NOS TRAVAUX ET EN PARTICULIER DES
REPRÉSENTANTS D’UN SECTEUR CRUCIAL POUR LA CRÉATION DE LA
PROSPÉRITÉ (AUTANT POUR LE COMMERCE QUE POUR
L’ENVIRONNEMENT) : LE SECTEUR PRIVÉ.
2. QUEBEC SIRG - DEBRIEFING
- ON OCTOBER 1-3, 2000, CANADA HOSTED A MEETING OF THE SUMMIT
IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW GROUP (SIRG) IN QUÉBEC CITY.
- THIS MEETING LAUNCHED THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATION LEADING UP
TO THE APRIL 2001 SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS TO BE HELD IN QUÉBEC,
WHICH WILL BRING TOGETHER THE HEADS OF STATE AND OF GOVERNMENT
OF THE HEMISPHERE. THEY WILL DISCUSS THE GOALS OF
STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY, CREATING PROSPERITY, AND REALISING
HUMAN POTENTIAL ACROSS THE AMERICAS.
- DELEGATES AT THE SIRG EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING
THAT THE SUMMIT PROCESS IS A CONTINUOUS ONE IN WHICH EACH NEW
SUMMIT BUILDS UPON THE SUCCESS OF THE LAST. NATIONS ALSO
EXPRESSED THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE STRENGTHENING OF THE
INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM. THROUGH INTENSIVE COOPERATION AND
COORDINATION, INTER-AMERICAN PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTIONS CAN BE
MADE TO SERVE THE POPULATIONS OF OUR COUNTRIES EVEN BETTER.
- ALL COUNTRIES MADE A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO THE
DISCUSSION, AND THE MEETING ALSO WELCOMED THE INPUT OF
INTER-AMERICAN BODIES SUCH AS THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN
STATES, THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, THE UN’S
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, AND
THE PAN-AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
- THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE PROVIDED TO THE NATIONAL
COORDINATORS THE CHAIR’S SUMMARY OF OUR SEPTEMBER 19TH
MEETING. A COPY OF THIS SUMMARY, PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF
SUMMIT FOLLOW-UP, WAS SENT TO PARTICIPATING CIVIL SOCIETY
ORGANIZATIONS IN ADVANCE OF TODAY`S MEETING.
- THE FOCUS OF THE SIRG MEETING IN QUÉBEC CITY WAS THE FIRST
PILLAR OF THE UPCOMING SUMMIT, STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY.
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSSED NUMEROUS THEMES IN THE
IMPROVEMENT OF DEMOCRATIC CONDITIONS.
- COUNTRIES AGREED THAT IN ADVANCING THE CAUSE OF DEMOCRACY,
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNISE THE STRONG LINK BETWEEN DEMOCRACY
AND DEVELOPMENT. DEMOCRACY CAN BETTER TAKE HOLD IN A CLIMATE
OF FINANCIAL STABILITY THAN AMID FINANCIAL CRISIS AND
DEVASTATING POVERTY. THE RULE OF LAW IS ALSO CRUCIAL TO THE
DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF DEMOCRACY. NATIONAL DELEGATIONS
DISCUSSED WAYS OF ACHIEVING STRONG, FAIR AND IMPARTIAL JUSTICE
SYSTEMS AND PROTECTING THE SECURITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL. IN
ADDITION, THERE MUST BE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN
GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS, AND IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS, FOR
DEMOCRACY TO FLOURISH. ALL DELEGATIONS AGREED ON THESE BROAD
POINTS.
- COUNTRIES WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO FIND CONSENSUS ON THE
SENSITIVE ISSUES OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND OF THE MEDIA,
ESPECIALLY AS THEY RELATE TO ELECTORAL PERIODS.
- GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES ALSO AFFIRMED THAT CITIZENS ARE
BETTER ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITY’S POLITICAL
LIFE WHEN THEY ARE INFORMED ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEM
AND ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS.
- DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES WILL CONTINUE AT THE
NEXT SIRG TO BE HOSTED BY THE IDB, FROM NOVEMBER 28TH
TO 30TH, TOGETHER WITH A DIALOGUE ON THE THIRD
PILLAR OF THE SUMMIT, REALISING HUMAN POTENTIAL.
- WE LOOK FORWARD TO INTERESTING DISCUSSION AND CONSTRUCTIVE
COMMENTS ON THIS SUBJECT AS WELL AS CONNECTIVITY.
3. RÉALISER LE POTENTIEL HUMAIN
- CETTE PRIORITÉ INCLUT DES QUESTIONS D’IMPORTANCE TEL QUE
: L’ ÉDUCATION, LA SANTÉ, LA PARITÉ HOMME-FEMME, LES
PEUPLES AUTOCHTONES, LA DIVERSITÉ CULTURELLE, ET, LES ENFANTS
ET LA JEUNESSE.
- L’OBJECTIF GÉNÉRAL DE CETTE PRIORITÉ EST DE FAVORISER
L’INCLUSION ET LA PARTICIPATION DE TOUS À LA VIE POLITIQUE,
ÉCONOMIQUE, SOCIALE ET CULTURELLE DE NOS SOCIÉTÉS.
- PLUSIEURS DES INITIATIVES QUI SERONT DISCUTÉES VISERONT
DONC À APPUYER LES GROUPES TRADITIONNELLEMENT DÉFAVORISÉS
AFIN QU’ILS NE DEVIENNENT PAS LES LAISSÉS POUR COMPTE DE
L’INTÉGRATION CROISSANTE DES SOCIÉTÉS DES AMÉRIQUES.
- CETTE FOIS ENCORE LES COORDINATEURS NATIONAUX S’ASSURERONT
D’ÉTABLIR DES INITIATIVES EN CONTINUITÉ AVEC LES
ENGAGEMENTS PRIS LORS DES PRÉCÉDENTS SOMMETS TOUT EN
PROPOSANT DES ESPACES D’ACTIVITÉS ET DE COOPÉRATION CIBLÉS
LÀ OÙ COLLECTIVEMENT NOUS POUVONS RÉELLEMENT FAIRE UNE DIFFÉRENCE.
- L’ACCÈS FLEXIBLE ET ÉQUITABLE À UNE ÉDUCATION DE
QUALITÉ, LE RENFORCEMENT DES RÉSEAUX DE SANTÉ PUBLIQUE, LA
PRÉVENTION ET LE CONTRÔLE DES MALADIES, LA SANTÉ des FEMMES
ET DES ENFANTS, LA MISE EN OEUVRE DU PROGRAMME INTER-AMERICAIN
POUR LA PROMOTION DES DROITS HUMAINS ET DE L’ÉQUITÉ ET DE
L’ÉGALITÉ DES SEXES, LA VALORISATION DE LA DIVERSITÉ
CULTURELLE ET LA PROTECTION DES ENFANTS ET LA CAPITALISATION
DE LEUR POTENTIEL SERONT PARMI LES SUJETS DISCUTÉS.
4. CONNECTIVITY
- THE SUMMIT BRAND AND CANADIAN LEGACY
"CONNECTIVITY" WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSED AT THE NEXT
SIRG MEETING. NATIONAL COORDINATORS WILL REFLECT ON
CONNECTIVITY PRIORITIES, ON WAYS OF OPERATIONALIZATION AND
WILL DISCUSS POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS.
- IN DOING SO, THEY WILL HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THE LACK OF
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE LACK OF FUNDING IN OUR REGIONS, THE
IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING/PROMOTING DIVERSITY, THE KNOWLEDGE
GAPS; THE ECONOMIC DIVIDES; THE MARGINALISED GROUPS; THE
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS LIMITED BUDGETS; AND, THE
IMPORTANCE TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EACH REGIONS. THEY
WILL ALSO WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXPERTISE OF CIVIL
SOCIETY EXPERTS, PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES AND IFIS, AND BUILD
ON ON-GOING PROGRAMS.
- ACCESS AND TRAINING COULD BE AREAS WHERE THEY MIGHT CONSIDER
ESTABLISHING INITIATIVES WITH A FOCUS ON CHILDREN, WOMEN,
INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS AND OTHER TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED
GROUPS. THEY MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER PARTNERSHIPS ACTIVITIES IN
RELATION WITH E-COMMERCE TO ASSIST IN REDRESSING ECONOMIC
DISPARITIES AND INEQUALITIES. FINALLY, THEY MIGHT CONSIDER
PROJECTS THAT WILL SUPPORT BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD OF
ACCESS TO INFORMATION, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TRANSPARENCY,
PARTICIPATORY POLITICAL PROCESS, AND GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY.
- THE NATIONAL COORDINATORS WILL BENEFIT IN THEIR TASK FROM
THE SUGGESTIONS PUT FORWARD BY THE EXPERTS PARTICIPATING TO
THE CEGCI. THEREFORE, THE CHAIR INVITES ALL PARTICIPANTS TO
ALSO ADDRESS COMMENTS ON THE CONNECTIVITY BRAND DURING OUR
DIALOGUE TODAY.
5. EXPERT AND CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION
- BEFORE OPENING THE SESSION I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE
HAVE THE HONOUR TO BENEFIT FROM THE PRESENCE TODAY OF SEVERAL
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CENTRE AND THE SOUTH OF THIS
HEMISPHERE. REPRESENTATIVES FROM ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, CHILE,
COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, HONDURAS, GUATEMALA AND MEXICO ARE
ATTENDING THIS MEETING. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR THE
RECOGNITION THEY ARE GIVING TO THIS ORGANIZATION AND THIS
PARTICULAR COMMITTEE BY THEIR PRESENCE. WE WELCOME YOU. WE
WELCOME YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO
YOU ARE MEETING HERE IN WASHINGTON AND THAT YOU VOLUNTARILY
SUSPENDED YOUR WORK THIS MORNING TO JOIN US. THAT IS WHY THE
CHAIR WILL ENSURE THAT YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO INTERVENE, AS
YOU WISH, DURING THE MORNING SESSION.
- ALL CONCRETE SUGGESTIONS WILL BE ONCE AGAIN INCORPORATED
INTO A CHAIR’S SUMMARY TO BE CONVEYED TO NATIONAL
COORDINATORS AT THEIR NEXT MEETING.
- THE CHAIR WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IN HIS SUMMARY DIFFERENT
KIND OF CONTRIBUTION : PRESENTATIONS, PAPER, E-MAIL
- ELECTRONIC COMMENTS WILL BE REVIEWED AT THE BEGINNING AND
CLOSING OF THE AFTERNOON SESSION OR AT ANY TIME, AS
APPROPRIATE.
- THE CHAIR WILL NOW OPEN THE FLOOR TO CIVIL SOCIETY EXPERTS
THAT HAVE REGISTERED TO PRESENT SUGGESTIONS, FOLLOWED BY
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS BY MEMBER STATES ON THE SUGGESTIONS
MADE BY THE EXPERTS SO THAT WE CAN ENGAGE IN A CONSTRUCTIVE
DIALOGUE.
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