Note:

In the Declaration of Santiago, the Heads of State and Government stated that they recognized "the importance of, and positive role played by hemispheric institutions, particularly the Organization of American States (OAS)", and instructed their Ministers to "examine the strengthening and modernizing of these institutions".  Within the OAS, a special working group was created by the XXVIII General Assembly to fulfil the mandate, the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on the Strengthening and Modernization of the OAS.  The Working Group's principal documents follow.

Documents of the Special Joint Working Group:

• GETC/FORMOEA-15/98 Presentation by the Chair of CEPCIDI to the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on Strengthening the Partnership for Development Within the Framework of the OAS

• GETC/FORMOEA-17/98 Summary of the Proposals Regarding the Organization and Working Methods of the Permanent Council and its Susidiary Organs a Suggestion as to a Working Methodology for Exhausting this Topic

• GETC/FORMOEA-27/98 Reference Document on Reform and Modernization of the OAS

• GETC/FORMOEA-28/98 Considerations for an Evaluation of Partnership for Development (Document prepared by the General Secretariat)

• GETC/FORMOEA-29/98 Personnel Policy Reform with Comments from the Staff Association (Documents prepared by the General Secretariat and the Staff Association)

• GETC/FORMOEA-31/98 Hemispheric Summit Mandates of the Organization of American States (Document prepared by the General Secretariat)

• GETC/FORMOEA-33/98 Summary of Proposals for New Cooperation Strategies. Suggested Working Methodology to Conclude Discussion of the Topic

• GETC/FORMOEA-37/98 Proposal of the Permanent Mission of the United States for Modernization of the OAS and Renewal of the Inter-American System

• GETC/FORMOEA-42/98 Proposals Received in Connection with Topic 3: New Cooperation Strategies (Document prepared by the Chair of the GETC)

• GETC/FORMOEA-53/98 rev.2 Report of the Special Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development

• GETC/FORMOEA-66/98 Summary Presentation by Ambassador Christopher R. Thomas, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, on the Strengthening and Modernization of the Organization of American States

• GETC/FORMOEA-68/99 add. 1 Note from the Permanent Mission of the United States Submitting Proposal Regarding Strengthening of OAS Technical Cooperation Programs

• GETC/FORMOEA-80/99 Discussion Paper on Civil Society

• GETC/FORMOEA-82/99 Technical Cooperation (Document prepared by the Department of Legal Services)

• GETC/FORMOEA-101/99 rev. 5 Discussion Paper The OAS and Civil Society (Approved by the Special Joint Working Group at its session held on May 25, 1999)

• GETC/FORMOEA-111/99 rev. 1 Draft Report of the Permanent Council on the Activities Conducted by the Special Joint Working Group (GETC) in Fulfillment of Resolution AG/RES. 1603 (XXVIII-0/98) (Document prepared by the Chair of the GETC)