First Regular Meeting of 2010 of the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG)

The Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG) held its first meeting of 2010 on April 13 at the OAS headquarters in Washington, DC. In this meeting, the first with Colombia as the Chair of the Summits Process , Member States had the opportunity to receive updated information about the activities that the different stakeholders of the process have undertaken since the conclusion of the Fifth Summit of the Americas.

Presentations were made at the meeting on the achievements of the partner institutions of the Joint Summit Working Group (JSWG); on the work undertaken to strengthen coordination with social actors in the process; on the proposal of the Summits Virtual Community (SVC), a space which will be accessible via the internet and will serve to maintain an open, ongoing, and economic dialogue in real time about the core issues and themes of interest that stakeholders wish to discuss on the Summits of the Americas Process; on the ongoing efforts to strengthen the coordination between the Summits Process and the process of inter-American ministerial meetings; and on the work that led to the January launch of the Summits of the Americas Follow-up System (SISCA), as well as its diffusion, promotion, and training activities in the Member States.

In the same vein, the Summits Secretariat presented and distributed Volume V of the series “Official Documents from the Summits of the Americas Process: from Mar del Plata (2005) to Port of Spain (2009)”, as well as the document “From Mar del Plata to Port of Spain: a Report on the Summit of the Americas Process between the Fourth and Fifth Summits (November 2005-April 2009)”.

In the meeting, Colombia presented the SIRG with detailed information about the advances in the preparations for the Sixth Summit, which include the study of logistical aspects, conversations with various sectors to determine the theme of the next Summit, and considerations about the format that should be used in both the Cartagena Declaration and the discussion between the Heads of State and Government within the framework of their gathering at the Summit.

In his intervention, the Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, reiterated the validity of the Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain and the necessity of securing the appropriate monitoring for its implementation, inter alia, through the presentation and consideration of the annual National Reports from the Member States. The Secretary General highlighted the establishment of a close working relationship between Colombia and the General Secretariat of the OAS, especially with the Summits of the Americas Secretariat. In this regard, he reiterated support of the OAS for Colombia in its position as Chair of the process.

Similarly, the Member States reiterated their support for Colombia and were pleased with the advances to date and work strategies presented in order to achieve a successful Sixth Summit as well as the strengthening of the process. Equally, they emphasized the efforts made by Colombia to gather the background required to propel the process toward the next Summit and to apply lessons learned from the past. Also, the Member States reaffirmed their support to maintain a close relationship with all the actors in the process.

For access to the complete report of this meeting and the presentations, please visit: www.summit-americas.org/sirg_meet_2010.html

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