OEA/Ser.P
AG/RES. 1685 (XXIX-O/99)
8 June 1999
Original: Spanish

MODERNIZATION OF THE OAS AND RENEWAL OF
THE INTER-AMERICAN SYSTEM

(Adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 8, 1999,
and pending review by the Style Committee)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN the Report of the Permanent Council on Modernization of the OAS and Renewal of the Inter-American System (AG/doc. /99),

CONSIDERING that in the dialogue regarding renewal of the inter-American system that took place during the twenty-eighth regular session of the General Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, the foreign ministers and heads of delegation adopted resolution AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-O/98), in which they instructed the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) to:

a. "identify[ing] the aspects with regard to which it is necessary to foster and intensify the process of strengthening and modernizing the OAS by defining strategies, procedures, and concrete actions with a view to promoting a comprehensive renewal of the inter-American system";

b. study "the organization and working methods of the councils and their subsidiary organs, as well as the General Secretariat, with a view to streamlining their work so they may carry out more efficiently and effectively the mandates entrusted to them"; and

c. adopt "such organizational and structural measures as they consider suitable in pursuit of the aims set forth" in the preceding paragraph;

BEARING IN MIND the mandate issued to the ministers by the Heads of State and Government of the member states in the Declaration of Santiago, adopted at the Second Summit of the Americas, to examine ways to strengthen and modernize hemispheric institutions, in particular the Organization of American States;

BEARING IN MIND ALSO resolution AG/RES. 1449 (XXVII-O/97), "OAS Contribution to the Summits of the Americas Process"; and
RECALLING that in the resolution cited above AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-O/98) the General Secretariat was requested to give its full support in putting this resolution into effect,

RESOLVES:

1. To take note of the report of the Permanent Council and to thank it for presenting it.

2. To renew the mandates contained in AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-O/98) and to instruct the Permanent Council to report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirtieth regular session, especially regarding the completion of consideration of already initiated items; rationalization of the work of the General Secretariat in order to fulfill the mandates entrusted to it more efficiently and effectively; and the definition of strategies, procedures, and concrete actions-including funding and coordination with other inter-American organizations-with a view to promoting integral renewal of the inter-American system.