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.

• 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 19^TH 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 28^TH TO 30^TH, 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.