The proposal also calls for a range of specific steps to strengthen the rights of women, minority groups and the indigenous community, the disabled, and migrant workers and foreign communities within Summit countries.

The proposal suggest that governments formulate national human rights plans, as recommended by the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in 1993. The document recommends that, to facilitate a hemispheric dialogue and exchange of experiences, the national plans should have a common structure. Included as integral parts of the proposal are the following annexes: (1) a list of specific results that should be obtained in the area of democracy and human rights; (2) a suggested structure for the national human rights plans; and (3) a list of nine human rights instruments that the Brazilian-Canadian document recommends be ratified by Summit governments.

Brazil and Canada presented their implementation proposal to a SIRG meeting in Santiago in January, 1996. The SIRG requested that the OAS Special Committee on Summit Management examine the Brazil-Canada proposal. In April, 1996, the Special Committee created a Working Group on Democracy and Human Rights with the broad mandate of assisting in the development of follow-up activities on Summit commitments in those areas. At the first meeting of the Working Group, held on May 6, 1996, Dr. Jose Gregori from Brazil and Ms. Mary McLennan from Canada were elected as co-chairs of the Group. The co-chairs asked member states to submit written comments on the Brazilian-Canadian proposal.

A second meeting of the Working Group was held in December 1996. The meeting discussed various suggested amendments to the Brazilian-Canadian proposal, exchanged views on the development of human rights plans, and identified administration of justice as the thematic priority that would guide the future work of the group. Within that priority, three particular issues were identified: (1) police training; (2) the necessary steps to remedy inhumane conditions in prisons and to minimize the number of pre-trail detainees; and (3) human rights education for judges, magistrates and other court officers. There was also agreement that, in carrying out its future activities, the working group should seek to avoid duplication with activities of other organs of the OAS involved in the areas of democratic development, human rights and technical assistance, and should seek cooperation with those organs.

In early 1997, representatives from the co-chairs visited a number of donors including the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank , the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the National Democratic Institute (Latin America Programs) all in Washington, D.C., and the Ford Foundation and the United Nations Development Program in New York. The main objectives of the visits were to gather information on organizations that might have an interest in developing partnerships to support future activities of the working group; to acquaint those organizations with the existence and work already undertaken by the working group; and to explore, in a preliminary fashion, their interest in the priority area and sub-categories established at the second meeting of the working group in December. In general, the meetings revealed the existence of a significant number of projects being carried out in the sub-categories identified by the working group. In addition, it became clear that the donors were interested in cooperating in these areas and in sharing their experience and expertise with the working group.

The Brazilian-Canadian proposal has been useful not only as a tool for implementation of the Miami initiatives but as a source of ideas for recommendations for the second Summit of the Americas to be held in Santiago, Chile, April 18-19, 1998.

II. Future Steps

Recommended actions include:

• Further efforts by governments and international organizations on the full range of democracy and human rights action items set forth in the Miami Plan of Action and identified in the Brazilian-Canadian proposal;
• Further consideration by governments of adherence to human rights instruments to which they are not already party;
• Continued support for the work of the OAS in the areas of democracy and human rights;
• Increased efforts by governments and by the OAS in the priority areas identified by the Working Group on Human Rights created as a result of the Brazilian-Canadian proposal;
• The holding of a hemispheric meeting of electoral officials to exchange information, experiences, and best practices, and to promote familiarity with modern electoral technology.

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1. Strengthening Democracy

The strengthening, effective exercise and consolidation of democracy constitute the central political priority of the Americas. The Organization of American States (OAS) is the principal hemispheric body for the defense of democratic values and institutions; among its essential purposes is to promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect to the principle of non-intervention. The OAS has adopted multilateral procedures to address the problems created when democratic order has been interrupted unconstitutionally. In order to prevent such crises, the OAS needs to direct more effort toward the promotion of democratic values and practices and to the social and economic strengthening of already-established democratic regimes.

Governments will:

• Give expeditious consideration to ratifying the Cartagena de Indias, Washington and Managua Protocols to the OAS Charter, if they have not already done so.
• Strengthen the dialogue among social groups and foster grass roots participation in problem solving at the local level.
• Support efforts by the OAS to promote democracy by:

• Encouraging exchanges of election-related technologies and assisting national electoral organizations, at the request of the interested state.
• Strengthening the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy so that it can provide assistance at the request of the interested state on such matters as legislative and judicial processes, government reforms (including administration of justice, technical modernization of national legislative bodies, simplification of government regulations and promotion of participation by community organizations in local democracy), and other institutional changes.
• Encouraging opportunities for exchange of experiences among member states' democratic institutions, particularly legislature-to-legislature and judiciary-to-judiciary.
• Fostering understanding, dialogue and political reconciliation, at the request of the affected state and bearing in mind that national reconciliation comes from within.
• Requesting the OAS to promote and follow up on these commitments.

2. Promoting and Protecting Human Rights

Great progress has been made in the Hemisphere in the development of human rights concepts and norms, but serious gaps in implementation remain. While courts ultimately have the responsibility for enforcing legal rights and obligations, reforms in other institutions are needed to contribute to the further development of a climate of respect for human rights. There must also be universal access to justice and effective means to enforce basic rights. A democracy is judged by the rights enjoyed by its least influential members.

Governments will:

• Give serious consideration to adherence to international human rights instruments to which they are not already party.
• Cooperate fully with all United Nations and inter-American human rights bodies.
• Develop programs for the promotion and observance of human rights, including educational programs to inform people of their legal rights and their responsibility to respect the rights of others.
• Promote policies to ensure that women enjoy full and equal legal rights within their families and societies, and to ensure the removal of constraints to women's full participation as voters, candidates and elected and appointed officials.
• Review and strengthen laws for the protection of the rights of minority groups and indigenous people and communities to ensure freedom from discrimination, to guarantee full and equal protection under the law, and to facilitate active civic participation. Support a process to review and enhance the protection of indigenous rights in OAS member states and to develop promptly an effective United Nations declaration on indigenous rights.
• Review national legislation affecting people with disabilities, as well as benefits and services for them, and make any changes needed to facilitate the enjoyment by these individuals of the same rights and freedoms as other members of society.
• Undertake all measures necessary to guarantee the rights of children, and, where they have not already done so, give serious consideration to ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• Guarantee the protection of the human rights of all migrant workers and their families.
• Take the necessary steps to remedy inhumane conditions in prisons and to minimize the number of pretrial detainees.
• Review training curricula for law enforcement agents to ensure that they adequately cover proper treatment of suspects and detainees as well as relations with the community.
• Exchange experiences on protection of human rights at the national level and, where possible, cooperate in the development of law enforcement and security force training or other programs to reduce the potential for human rights violations.
• Call on the OAS and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to establish or to reinforce programs, as appropriate, to support national projects for the promotion and observance of human rights in the Western Hemisphere.
• Further strengthen the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Invigorating Society/Community Participation

Action Initiative 3

I. Actions Taken Since December 1994

In a precedent-breaking decision guided by the Miami Summit recommendations, the 1996 Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development in Santa Cruz, Bolivia called for the participation of civil society in decision-making on public issues. The Summit entrusted the OAS with the formulation of an Inter-American Strategy for the participation of civil society in decision-making on sustainable development. To design the strategy, the OAS has initiated a 15-month program to develop relevant information and experience. As part of its effort, the OAS has selected three sites (in Dominica, Peru, and the Gulf of Honduras) for pilot projects on environmental protection designed to demonstrate effective means of involving civil society in public initiatives. National focal points to guide the formulation of the participation strategy have been established in 27 countries, and $1.2 million in contributions have thus far been received to support the pilot projects and other aspects of work on the strategy. Initial steps have been taken toward the possible creation of an IDB-sponsored Foundation of the Americas to strengthen civil society in the Hemisphere, and the U.S. Agency for International Development has established a network linking 30 (potentially 80) NGOs throughout the Americas. Many national governments have taken specific steps to enhance the role of civil society in public affairs, for example through new legislation, innovative programs, and financial assistance.

OAS Efforts

The December 1996 Summit of the Americas for Sustainable Development in Santa Cruz, Bolivia took an important step forward in implementation of the Miami initiative on civil society/community participation. In the Bolivia Summit Declaration, the Heads of State and Government strongly supported 'broad participation by civil society in the decision-making process, including policies and programs and their design, implementation, and evaluation.' In the relevant section of the Bolivia Summit's Plan of Action, the hemispheric leaders state that governments will: '… entrust the OAS with assigning priority to the formulation of an Inter-American Strategy for the promotion of public participation in decision-making for sustainable development, taking into account the recommendations of the Inter-American Seminar on Public Participation held in Montevideo in 1996.' The Seminar had identified three areas for progress: (1) enabling responsible participation; (2) strengthening representative institutions; and (3) expanding avenues for participation.

Soon after the Santa Cruz Summit, the OAS began a 15-month program to formulate an Inter-American Strategy for Public Participation in Environment and Sustainable Development Decision-Making in the Americas (ISP). As part of the effort, the OAS is conducting pilot projects on participatory environmental management at three sites (in Dominica, Peru, and the Gulf of Honduras) to demonstrate effective means of involving civil society in public initiatives. The lessons learned will serve to guide Summit governments' efforts in civil society participation in the future.

Contributions totaling some $1.2 million in direct support of the ISP have been received from the Global Environment Facility, the OAS, USAID, and UNESCO. National focal points (a government official or group of officials) have been established to guide the ISP process with input from experts from civil society and donor representatives. To date, national focal points have been designated by 27 Summit countries.

The following consultations and other actions have been undertaken to support ISP formulation:

• In February 1997, a meeting of experts on civil society and representatives from eight OAS member states was held at the North-South Center of the University of Miami for preliminary discussions on the ISP.
• A meeting was held at OAS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in July 1997 to continue ISP formulation. Over 50 persons participated from international agencies and organizations, NGOs, the OAS, and other institutions.
• The First Meeting of ISP National Focal Points was held in Santiago, Chile in November 1997. Delegates of the 19 OAS members states that attended the meeting nominated seven representatives to the Project Advisory Committee (PAC), whose purpose is to provide advice on formulation of the participation strategy. The representatives chosen were: Mexico and the United States (for North America), the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (for Central America), Bolivia (for the Andean Group), Paraguay (for the Southern Cone), and Antigua and Barbuda and the Dominican Republic (for the Caribbean).
• In January and February 1998, seven civil society organization (CSO) representatives to the Project Advisory Committee were selected from 54 candidates.
• In February 1998, the first meeting of the Project Advisory Committee was held in Antigua, Guatemala. It was attended by national focal point representatives, five of the seven newly selected CSO representatives, and officials of the United Nations Environmental Program. The group made recommendations for ISP implementation and defined processes for the continuous involvement of civil society organizations in the ISP.

A web site has been created to help governments and civil society keep abreast of progress on implementation of the ISP. The Internet address is: www.ispnet.org.

Other Regional Efforts

In 1995, the U.S. Agency for International Development established the Inter-American Democracy Network, which currently links 30 NGOs and is intended eventually to link more than 80 throughout the Hemisphere. Through the Network, the six founding members, five of which are based in Latin America, provide technical assistance to other civil society organizations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Technical assistance is focused on the following areas: capacity building, voter education, citizen participation in local government, and deliberation.

Another significant initiative is the Charter of Civil Society of CARICOM, established by the CARICOM Heads of State and Government at a meeting in Antigua and Barbuda in February 1997. This initiative grew out of the recognized need to develop structures of unity and integration within and among eastern Caribbean states to complement efforts to establish a single market economy in the region. The Charter articulates a political value system that emphasizes collaborative relationships within civil society and between civil society and the state. The Charter promotes freedom of the press, fair and open democratic processes, morality in public affairs, respect for civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, the rights of women and children, respect for religious diversity, and greater accountability and transparency in government.

The Inter-American Development Bank, on the initiative of senior bank staff, has proposed a new Foundation of the Americas to strengthen civil society in Latin America and the Caribbean. In September 1997, a committee was established to promote the creation of the Foundation, which the IDB hopes will work in the coming years in partnership with governments and businesses to strengthen democratic institutions, achieve equitable economic growth, and advance social justice in the region.

The IDB's Foundation Committee, chaired by former Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, has already begun meeting with business and political leaders to plan for the creation of the Foundation. This preliminary effort to develop a new Foundation is a substantial step forward in meeting the Miami Plan of Action's call upon the IDB to consider the development of a 'Civil Society Program to encourage responsible and accountable philanthropy and civic engagement in public issues.'

In March 1997 the IDB published an important sub-regional summary of laws and regulations for civil society organizations in South America in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program, the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, and the Esquel Group Foundation. The publication provides a comparative review of legal frameworks for civil society in South America, and serves as an important reference for further progress.

The Government of Chile, with the support of other Summit governments, has taken important steps to integrate civil society into decision-making by consulting civil society members during preparation of the agenda for the Santiago Summit of the Americas to be held April 18-19, 1998. Consultations took place at two separate meetings in Santiago hosted by the Corporación Participa and sponsored by various donors and the Government of Chile. There were also numerous informal consultations regarding the Summit between government delegations and civil society representatives at the national level. Through the efforts of Jamaica and Uruguay, civil society members have had significant input into the proposed Summit agenda and have made substantial contributions to the language proposed for inclusion in the final Summit Plan of Action.

National Efforts

The following is an illustrative list of significant actions that have been undertaken by national governments.

In Argentina the role of civil society in public affairs has steadily increased thanks in large measure to a legal framework that guarantees great freedom for the creation and operation of NGOs. The number of volunteers in Argentina has grown as a result of the positive publicity surrounding President Menem's successful initiative to create an international 'White Helmets' volunteer corps. The Argentine government has placed increasing emphasis on engaging the academic world, the press, and NGOs in domestic sustainable development activities such as the management of protected natural areas. Argentina has also worked to integrate civil society into the foreign policy area, which traditionally was considered the exclusive province of the federal government.

Belize has made important strides in operating the Official Charities Fund in a manner that maximizes transparency and financial accountability among social welfare and youth programs. Belize has also encouraged the active involvement of beneficiaries of these programs in development initiatives, including those operated through the Social Investment Fund, the Sustainable Human Development Program, and the Overseas Development Agency.

In Brazil there are approximately 170,000 registered civic associations that have a significant interest in government activities. In December 1995 a large national forum on the role of civil society was held, attended by representatives of the federal government, state governments, NGOs, the Inter-American Development Bank, international agencies, the private sector, and several national foundations. The forum made a series of recommendations to strengthen civil society in Brazil, including the establishment of a 'Brazilian Network for the Organization of Civil Society.'

Bolivia has continued to expand and strengthen activities under its model Popular Participation Law, which established a national Secretariat for Popular Participation and seeks to integrate civil society into all levels of sustainable development decision-making. In 1997 the Secretariat introduced a Program of Strategic Actions in Natural Resources, Environment and Planning for La Paz, and has offered institutional support for public participation programs at the regional level as well.

Canada has markedly expanded its efforts to engage the public in policy decision-making. The Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy Development was created in 1996 to help Canadians outside government contribute to the development of Canadian foreign policy. In 1996 and 1997, Canada involved civil society to an exceptional degree in conferences at Geneva and Ottawa on the effort to secure a global ban on land mines. At the Ottawa conference, Ministers and officials shared plenary and ued a Program to Eradicate Poverty as a basic instrument to support policies and programs that will transform relations between the state and civil society. The new program recognizes the state's role as 'facilitator' and the vital importance of participation by all social and economic sectors, including industrial and business organizations and NGOs. Ecuador has also given special attention to increasing the participation of indigenous populations, Afro-Ecuadorians, women and youth in government decision-making.

As part of a new Local Government Reform Programme, Jamaica has established a National Advisory Council on Local Government and collateral local councils comprised of political parties, trade unions, the private sector, the NGO community, and women and youth organizations. Jamaica has also implemented a National Policy and Programme for Poverty Eradication, which focuses on project identification and implementation through community partnership and consensus. Moreover, the Jamaican Government has established an NGO Portfolio to coordinate NGO/government relations. In 1996 Jamaica published a Directory of NGOs Engaged in Social Development in Jamaica. The Directory is serving to facilitate interaction among the 114 NGOs listed in it and between them and the Government of Jamaica. Jamaica recently turned over operational management of its two national parks to NGOs.

Mexico modified its Federal Code of Institutions and Electoral Processes to create a basis for the participation in decision-making by organizations with a political character through the Agrupación Politica Nacional. Mexico has also passed and begun to implement the December 1996 Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Protection of the Environment, which includes provisions that guarantee the participation of private persons, individually and collectively, in environmental protection efforts. In 1996 the Mexican Senate established a Subcommittee on the New Relationship of Government with Civil Society with a view to encouraging the participation of civil society in government decision-making. The Subcommittee held a number of workshops on ways of involving civil society in public policy to a greater degree.

Nicaragua has worked to ensure high levels of civil society participation in efforts to combat poverty and generate jobs. In May 1997, Nicaragua enacted a Law of Juridical Not-for-Profit Persons, which regulates the formation and operation of NGOs.

Trinidad and Tobago established a Community Development Fund with a loan from the IDB designed to encourage NGO participation in community based efforts to provide basic social services and improve community infrastructure. The Fund, which is available to community groups acting collectively, represents a landmark effort to engage civil society in social policy and to build a capacity for collective action.

In the United States, President Clinton joined three former Presidents and retired General Colin Powell in April 1997 for the Presidents' Summit for America's Future. The Summit's goal was to call Americans to a new level of civic action to help millions of disadvantaged and at-risk children. The President's Council on Sustainable Development has continued to function as a joint public-private advisory entity that integrates civil society into development decision-making. The United States enacted tax law changes that (a) increase the financial transparency of public charities and other tax-exempt organizations; (b) protect charitable organizations from losing their tax-exempt status because of wrongdoing by individuals associated with them; and (c) promote the ability of tax-exempt organizations to receive funds from private donors. The U.S. Government has involved citizens groups and NGOs in its implementation of the Miami Summit Plan of Action, notably by including the private sector in the Denver Trade and Commerce Forum in May 1995, by inviting NGO representatives to the meeting of science and technology ministers in Cartagena, Colombia in March 1996, and by utilizing inputs from many NGOs in formulating U.S. negotiating priorities for the December 1996 Summit on Sustainable Development in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Uruguay has worked to integrate public interest organizations into efforts on structural poverty and other key issues, and has sought to develop a social dialogue between civil society and the highest levels of government. Uruguay has also worked to integrate NGOs into its regional and international activities.

• Summit governments should give strong support to the ongoing OAS efforts to elaborate an Inter-American Strategy for participation of civil society in decision-making on public issues. It will be essential for governments to provide useful input to the OAS effort if it is to realize its full potential.
• Summit governments should consider giving support to the IDB initiative for the development of a new Foundation of the Americas to strengthen civil society in Latin America and the Caribbean. It will be important to integrate this effort into other ongoing hemispheric civil society initiatives, and it will be essential to consult with civil society and interested governments about their needs and priorities as the Foundation takes shape and becomes operational.
• Strong efforts should be made by Summit governments and civil society organizations to ensure that all elements of civil society, including those traditionally marginalized or excluded from public life, are involved in decision making on public issues. Marginalized groups must be given increased access to information relevant to decision making as well as access to the policy-making process itself.
• Governments should consider making available resources that would allow a comprehensive and detailed analysis of: (a) achievements to date in the civil society area; (b) impediments to progress; and (c) specific means of removing those impediments and making further progress. The Responsible Coordinator Governments for the civil society initiative stress that such resources will be critical to the ability of governments and civil society organizations to understand the current status of work in this area and effectively chart future courses of action.

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3. Invigorating Society/Community Participation

A strong and diverse civil society, organized in various ways and sectors, including individuals, the private sector, labor, political parties, academics, and other non-governmental actors and organizations, gives depth and durability to democracy. Similarly, a vigorous democracy requires broad participation in public issues. Such activities should be carried out with complete transparency and accountability, and to this end a proper legal and regulatory framework should be established to include the possibility of obtaining technical and financial support, including from private sources.

Governments will:

• Review the regulatory framework for non-governmental actors with a view to facilitating their operations and promoting their ability to receive funds. This review will emphasize the management and oversight of resources as well as transparency and the accountability to society of said actors.
• Take steps to improve the participation in social activities and initiatives of groups traditionally marginalized, including women, youth, indigenous people and the extremely poor.
• Exchange progress reports on activities in the civil society area at the 1996 Summit Conference on Sustainable Development in Bolivia.
• Consider the development by the IDB of a new Civil Society Program to encourage responsible and accountable philanthropy and civic engagement in public policy issues.

Promoting Cultural Values

Action Initiative 4

I. Actions Taken Since December 1994

In its capacity as Responsible Coordinator for the Miami Summit initiative on Promoting Cultural Values, Costa Rica began hosting an Exhibition on Cultural Values of the Americas (Exhibición Valores Culturales de las Américas) in San José in March 1998. On display are photographs, handicrafts, and videos on the culture of each of the Summit countries. Many governments have taken important national actions in the cultural area. Bolivia has created an organization to carry out cultural activities among the various ethnic and linguistic groups in the country. Chile is helping each of the 13 regions of the country to develop its unique cultural traditions and has stressed the importance of bringing culture to economically disadvantaged people. In the United States, the White House announced a multi-year Millennium Program to celebrate the achievements of the 20th Century and to preserve the national cultural heritage for future generations. Mexico signed international agreements with Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Peru, and the United States on combating illegal traffic in archaeological artifacts and on the preservation and maintenance of archaeological areas. The United States signed agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala and Peru instituting restrictions on the importation of unregistered archeological and cultural artifacts into the United States. The OAS enhanced its commitment to the promotion of cultural values, approved a new Inter-American Program of Culture, and established a new Office of Cultural Affairs with a strong 16 point mandate to foster the promotion and preservation of the cultural heritage of the Americas.

Costa Rica

In its capacity as Responsible Coordinator for the Miami Summit initiative on Promoting Cultural Values, Costa Rica began hosting an Exhibition on Cultural Values of the Americas (Exhibición Valores Culturales de las Americas) in San José in March 1998. The exhibition is designed to reflect the cultural values of the countries that participated in the Miami Summit of the Americas. On display are photographs, handicrafts, and videos on the culture of each of the Summit countries. A report on this exhibition will be sent to every diplomatic mission accredited in San José.

Costa Rica has developed a program to investigate and conserve buildings and other sites of cultural value throughout the country. It has further developed an education and public information program to make people aware of their cultural patrimony and the need to protect it. Costa Rica has stressed that preservation of cultural patrimony is a shared responsibility among the state, civil society, and the people. Special efforts are being made to involve young people in the cultural life of the country.

Barbados

Barbados recently assumed the responsibilities of the Secretariat pro tempore of the Forum of Ministers of Culture and Officials Responsible for Cultural Policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. In that capacity, Barbados is preparing activities leading to the 10th meeting of that group. This task is in addition to the responsibility Barbados has for the coordination of cultural programs of the Association of Caribbean States. Projects being carried out in these contexts are: (a) the establishment of a cultural database (Sistema de Información Cultural de Latinoamerica y el Caribe¯SICLAC) that will be available on the Internet and that will provide information on the cultural heritage of the Americas; and (b) a 'cultural integration' project designed to bring the people of the Americas closer together by encouraging them to learn the languages spoken in the Western Hemisphere.

Bolivia

Bolivia has created an Intercultural Relations Unit to organize activities among various cultural, ethnic, and linguistic groups within the country. An international cultural exchange program called Casa de los Pueblos has established centers throughout Bolivia for the strengthening of non-governmental cultural relations with foreign countries as a 'people-to-people' effort.

Chile

Nicaragua

The Nicaraguan Institute of Culture is supporting local and ethnic cultures of the Atlantic coast of the country in order to improve understanding among Nicaraguans. It is also providing material aid to elderly national artists and is helping to publicize their works.

The Dominican Republic

The Presidential Council of Culture coordinates cultural affairs and is laying the groundwork for the establishment through legislation of a national Department of Culture (Secretaría de Estado de Cultura). Cultural projects underway or planned include (a) creation of a national system of literary workshops; (b) establishment of provincial and municipal houses of culture and regional cultural centers; (c) creation of a system of child and youth symphony orchestras; and (d) an inventory of national patrimony. In 1997, the Dominican Republic established an Internet web site that provides information on cultural activities in the country.

United States

Thousands of public-private partnerships in the United States further cultural values, and the number grows daily. Examples range from community public broadcasting services and innumerable programs supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for Humanities, to ad hoc local government partnerships with citizen and church groups.

In August 1997, the White House announced a multi-year Millennium Program to celebrate the accomplishments of this century, engaging every sector of U.S. society in conveying the American heritage to future generations. By focusing on culture, scholarship and scientific exploration, the White House Millennium Program provides opportunities to learn more about history and preserve the national cultural heritage.

The United States signed agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala and Peru, instituting import restrictions on unregistered archeological and cultural artifacts into the United States. Discussions continue with these and other countries to find better means to protect cultural property and to enhance knowledge and appreciation of indigenous cultures and cultural artifacts.

U.S. Information Agency (USIA) each year funds visits to countries of the hemisphere by approximately 200 U.S. speakers and academic specialists. The U.S. visitors share with audiences experiences in such areas as museum management, university administration, and the arts.

U.S. government broadcasts via 'Worldnet' to the Hemisphere feature topics such as library management, preventing the transfer of illegally acquired art, Latin American film industry growth, cultural fund raising and jazz developments. Voice of America broadcasts also address a wide variety of cultural topics.

The Partners of the Americas and Sister Cities International programs consist of partnerships between individual U.S. states and municipalities and other countries and municipalities. Areas addressed include exchanges of performing, visual and folk artists, and the development of linkages among libraries, museums and other cultural centers in order to promote understanding and appreciation of the Hemisphere's rich cultural heritage.

The Smithsonian Institution has several dozen scientific, artistic and cultural research projects ongoing with Central and South America, and a variety of other cultural programs operating in the Hemisphere, some in coordination with the OAS.

The American Dance Festival sponsors workshops, training and performances, and develops linkages with dance groups in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Uruguay

The cultural division of the Ministry of Education and Culture has been restructured with a view to improving the promotion of cultural values. The cultural division now has four sections, one for each cultural area, as follows: Theater Arts, Plastic Arts, Letters, and Musical Arts. Uruguay has also taken steps to improve its system of libraries, museums, and houses of culture.

OAS Efforts

In response to the Summit mandate, guidance provided by the 1995 OAS General Assembly on strengthening the inter-American system included a call for a broader OAS role in promoting and disseminating culture. The 1996 OAS General Assembly reiterated the importance of culture for the integral development of the member states as well as the need for the OAS to strengthen and enhance the Inter-American Program of Culture. The General Assembly entrusted the General Secretariat with the task of submitting quarterly reports on the implementation of the cultural program of the OAS. That mandate was renewed by the 1997 General Assembly.

The Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), at its second regular session held in Mexico in April 1997, approved a Strategic Partnership for Development Plan 1997-2001, which includes cultural development among the priorities of the OAS. CIDI reaffirmed the commitment of member states to prepare and adopt a new Inter-American Program of Culture.

Recognizing that the greatest wealth of a region is its people and their diverse cultural expressions, the Third Regular meeting of CIDI in Buenos Aires in March 1998 approved the new Inter-American Program of Culture (PIC). The PIC establishes the strategic areas of action of the OAS in promoting the cultural development of the Hemisphere. The Program, which takes its mandates from the Miami Summit and the OAS General Assembly, will concentrate on four areas of action: (1) cultural diversity; (2) the dissemination and protection of the Hemisphere's cultural heritage; (3) the training of human resources and the encouragement of creativity; and (4) the promotion of cultural tourism.

In an effort to enhance the efforts of the OAS in cultural matters, the Secretary General created the Office of Cultural Affairs on April 30, 1997, replacing the old Department of Cultural Affairs. The new Office was given a broad, 16 point mandate. The following is a partial, illustrative list of the tasks, presented here in abbreviated form:

• Foster regional and hemispheric dialogue on the most significant problems related to protecting and promoting the cultural values of the Americas and respect for cultural diversity;
• Provide technical and administrative support to inter-American fora for the design and development of cultural policies;
• Provide technical support to, and cooperate with, member states in the formulation of national policies on cultural development;
• Design, identify, and carry out pilot projects;
• Support the work of protecting, conserving, enhancing, inventorying, and disseminating the archeological, historical, artistic, and scientific heritage that is being carried out in the Hemisphere;
• Promote and coordinate regional and international meetings, seminars, and conferences for comparing experiences and sharing results.

In the brief period of its existence, the Office of Cultural Affairs has carried forward and built on the work of its predecessor organization, the Department of Cultural Affairs. The Office has performed technical analyses of cultural projects submitted by member states on such varied issues as library user information for indigenous communities (Peru), restoration of heritage furniture (Panama), and research on and documentation of heritage dances (Domnica). It has participated in numerous meetings on cultural matters, including a meeting of the Directors of Cultural Preservation in Cartagena de Indias in May 1997, the 56th Session of the Advisory Committee of the International Council of Museums in Paris in June 1997, and a meeting of Business Volunteers for the Arts in Sacramento, California in September 1997. The Office has also sponsored publications springing from activities carried out under the former Regional Cultural Development Programs. Examples are:

• Illegal Trade in Objects of Cultural Heritage in Latin America. This document, which contains the minutes of a workshop held in Ecuador in 1995, was prepared with co-financing from the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Netherlands, UNESCO, the International Council of Museums, the Norwegian Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the OAS.
• Looting in Latin America (Saqueo en América Latina/Pillage en Amérique Latine). This publication was prepared by the International Council of Museums with co-financing from the OAS, UNESCO, the Norwegian Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Swedish International Development Agency, the Netherlands, and the French Ministry of Culture. The book lists and describes 100 important cultural heritage artifacts that have been stolen in Latin America. It is being used by INTERPOL, customs officials, art and auction galleries, and museums in an organized effort to recover the stolen items and combat illicit trafficking in historical artifacts.
• Museography: The Language of Museums Serving Society and its Cultural Heritage. This paper containing the findings of a seminar sponsored by the OAS and the Ministry of Culture of Brazil.

Since 1994, the OAS has produced a number of videos as part of its program to disseminate information about the Americas. They are designed primarily for schools and colleges, museums, NGOs, and community groups. The following are examples:

• Arte de Sheila Goloborotko. A documentary on the life and work of the Brazilian painter.
• Bolivia, Donde Nace la Luz. Scenes of the Bolivian people, the Andean region, and the economic development of Bolivia.
• Diseño de las Américas. Documentary on a fashion show by Colombian designer Carlos Zapata at the OAS main building.
• OAS Students Model Assembly. Documentary showing an OAS model assembly in which students participate.
• Pilar Martinez, El Lenguaje de las Piedras. Documentary on the ideas and work of the Peruvian sculptor.
• Women of the Americas. A roundtable discussion of matters of interest to the women of the Hemisphere.

II. Future Steps

Recommended actions include:

• Take further steps, through international agreements and/or other means, to protect and preserve the archeological heritage of the Americas;
• Devote greater effort to the restoration and preservation of historical buildings and sites;
• Continue to support a strong role for the OAS in cultural affairs;
• Emphasize programs that celebrate the diversity of the cultures of the Western Hemisphere;
• Encourage study in each Summit country of the languages of the Western Hemisphere;
• Consider establishing one Internet web site containing extensive information on the cultures of all 34 Summit countries.

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4. Promoting Cultural Values

Cultural development is a fundamental and integral component of development in the Americas and has an inherent capability to enrich our societies and to generate greater understanding among our countries.

In order to promote cultural values, governments will:

• Encourage more dynamic relations among public and private institutions and organizations, including universities, museums, and centers of art and literature, as well as among individual culture actors. Such exchanges emphasize our cultural diversity, recognize the value of our local cultures and contribute to improving hemispheric understanding.
• Request that the OAS and IDB reinforce their plans and programs to facilitate these cultural exchanges and the flow of cultural and historical information within and among our nations.

Combating Corruption

Action Initiative 5

(The President of the Republic of Venezuela, Rafael Caldera, proposed the anti-corruption initiative and specifically recommended an Inter-American Convention Against Corruption.)

I. Actions Taken Since December 1994

The Inter-American Convention Against Corruption, a direct result of the Miami Summit and the first of its kind in the world, was negotiated in record time and has already been signed by 23 OAS member states and ratified by nine. In another hemispheric effort in 1997, governments approved the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight Against Corruption. In December 1997, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile joined the 29 OECD member countries (including Canada, Mexico, and the United States) in signing a newly established OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. At the national level, many governments have taken specific anti-corruption measures, including the passage or strengthening of legislation against corruption and the approval of codes of ethics for public officials. Further such national efforts are planned.

Negotiation and Signature of Inter-American Convention

Only one month after the Summit¯on January 11, 1995¯the Venezuelan representative to the OAS submitted to the Permanent Council a Draft Inter-American Convention Against Corruption. During the 25th Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly in Haiti in June 1995, delegates adopted a resolution entitled 'Integrity and Public Ethics,' which included an approved schedule of work on the Inter-American Convention. Based on this mandate, the OAS Working Group on Probity and Ethics prepared a new draft text, which incorporated the comments of Summit governments and which was submitted to the Inter-American Juridical Committee of the OAS. That Committee provided a timely response in the form of an alternative draft, which served as a basis for subsequent meetings by a group of experts from Summit governments.

Following three meetings of the group of experts (from November 1995 to March 1996), a text was approved, which, after minor modifications, became the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption. It was signed by 21 governments at a meeting in Caracas on March 29, 1996 and by two in June 1996. Thus far the Convention has been ratified by nine Summit states.

Content of the Convention

The Convention is a comprehensive 28-article document that outlines a series of firm commitments by the States Parties. The following are examples:

• The Convention lists the specific acts of corruption to which it applies, and provides that States Parties that have not yet done so shall establish those acts of corruption as criminal offenses under their domestic law.
• The Convention lists additional specific acts of corruption that the States Parties undertake to consider establishing as offenses under their laws.
• Each State Party to the Convention agrees, subject to its Constitution and the fundamental principles of its legal system, to prohibit and punish acts of transnational bribery.
• Each State Party to the Convention agrees, subject to its Constitution and the fundamental principles of it legal system, to establish illicit enrichment as an offense under its laws.
• The Convention provides that each of the offenses established by the States Parties in accordance with the Convention shall be deemed to be included as an extraditable offense in any extradition treaty existing between or among the States Parties, and shall be included in future extradition treaties between or among States Parties.
• The States Parties agree to assist, and cooperate with, each other in the investigation and prosecution of the acts of corruption described in the Convention.
• The States Parties agree not to invoke bank secrecy as a basis for refusal to provide the assistance sought by any State Party.
• The Convention states that the fact that an alleged act of corruption was committed before the Convention entered into force shall not preclude procedural cooperation in criminal matters between the States Parties.

Other Hemispheric and Global Efforts

The 1997 OAS General Assembly in Lima approved the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight Against Corruption. The Program calls for the improvement of legal instruments for combating corruption, the strengthening of institutions involved in the anti-corruption effort, the intensification of contacts with other international organizations, and the participation of civil society in anti-corruption initiatives.

The Inter-American Juridical Committee of the OAS is drawing up model anti-corruption legislation for the consideration of governments and plans to submit the results of its work to governments in March 1998.

In order to facilitate work on anti-corruption legislation, the OAS Secretariat of Legal Affairs maintains a documentation center listing anti-corruption legislation that already exists in many countries of the Hemisphere.

In response to one of the Summit mandates, the OAS has established contact with the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions, and the OAS Secretariat of Legal Affairs is exchanging information with the OECD on means of mounting a more effective anti-bribery effort in the Western Hemisphere.

In December 1997, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile joined the 29 OECD member states and two other non-member states¯Bulgaria and the Slovak Republic¯in signing a newly established OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. The Convention sets forth a standard for effective national laws to criminalize bribery of foreign public officials as well as a basis for international judicial cooperation.

Most countries of the Hemisphere are implementing integrated financial management systems to improve accountability and transparency in the area of public resources.

Argentina is vigorously implementing its 1992 Financial Management and Control Law. A National Office of Public Ethics has been established and a Code of Ethics has been drafted.

In Brazil the Senate has passed a bill, now awaiting presidential approval, that would criminalize money laundering and create a Council for the Control of Financial Activities under the Finance Ministry. In addition, the government has prepared a Code of Professional Ethics for Public Officials of the Federal Government.

Bolivia is developing a forensic auditing capability under a project financed by the World Bank. A National Integrity Workshop was held in Bolivia in March 1998 in cooperation with the World Bank's Economic Development Institute.

In February 1995, Canada approved a Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interests, which regulates the conduct of employees of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

In Chile a National Committee on Public Ethics, established in 1994, has made 41 proposals to improve public ethics, most of which have been implemented. Internal audit units have been established in every government ministry over the past three years, and the Congress is considering six anti-corruption bills.

In Colombia an Anti-Corruption Statute was approved in 1995. In 1996 a Presidential Program called the Transparency Plan was introduced aimed at reforming the management of government based on three essential principles¯government responsibility, administrative transparency, and corruption control. The administrators of the Transparency Plan are conducting a campaign on administrative ethics at all levels of government, and their work is being supplemented by the efforts of the National Commission on Integrity and the Citizens' Commission for Combating Corruption.

In the Dominican Republic, an IDB-funded project has strengthened the Prosecutor's office and focused the attention of civil society on anti-corruption issues.

In Ecuador, an Anti-Corruption Commission has been established to investigate corruption.

In El Salvador the Ministry of Justice is drafting a law to create a code of conduct for public officials and a legislative subcommittee is investigating means of making political campaign funding more transparent. In addition, the Government has established an office to receive citizen complaints of corruption by public officials.

In Paraguay the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic and the Bicameral Committee on Illicit Activity of the National Congress are engaged in the anti-corruption effort. The city of Asuncion has passed a 'sunshine law,' which authorizes citizen access to municipal records.

In December 1996, Peru enacted a new banking reform law designed to fight corruption, and in July 1997, Peru approved a Code of Ethics of the Public Prosecutor, which sets forth principles that will guide the work and personal conduct of all public prosecutors. The Comptroller General's Office has established comprehensive procedures for citizen complaints about corruption and inefficiency in government.

In Mexico the basic law on Public Administration was amended, and thereby improved, in 1996. Internal regulations of the Office of the Comptroller General and Administrative Development were approved in April 1995.

In the United States, significant resources have been devoted to assisting governments in the Hemisphere to implement the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption, including through the establishment of national ethics offices. The U.S. Government has taken every opportunity to publicize, domestically and internationally, the importance of this Convention. The United States is exchanging information with Argentina related to its recent establishment of an Ethics Office.

The United States has provided support to the Berlin-based Transparency International NGO and to many other NGOs and associations that are active in the Hemisphere in the fight against corruption and in the improvement of public sector financial management.

Bribery of foreign officials by U.S. businessmen has long been criminalized by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In 1996, the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce agreed to require U.S. businesses to certify that they and their affiliates have not bribed and will not bribe officials, and that they will maintain policies to that effect, before the U.S. Government will provide advocacy assistance. Similar commitments are required by the Department of Commerce from companies participating in official trade missions.

The U.S.-initiated U.N. Declaration on Corruption and Bribery in Transnational Business Transactions was passed by General Assembly consensus in December 1996. Within the WTO the United States is seeking to ensure that the international procurement process is open and transparent. At the December 1997 Singapore WTO Ministerial, the United States obtained agreement for the WTO to study a possible arrangement on transparency, due process, and openness in government procurement.

In order to promote the values underlying the transnational anti-corruption effort, the U.S. Government has participated in conferences in the U.S. with anti-corruption on the agenda that have involved the American Bar Association, the International Association of Lawyers, and the Inter-American Bar Association. The United States has also taken part in panel discussions on anti-corruption themes at international conferences. These included, in 1996, a U.S.-funded 'Respondacon III' teleconference and, in 1997, the 8th International Anti-Corruption Conference and a 'Respondacon IV' teleconference, both in Lima, and a conference in Mexico focused on the role of primary and secondary education in combating corruption.

In Venezuela, the post of Presidential Commissioner for Public Administration Oversight was established by decree in January 1995. The functions of the Presidential Commissioner include making recommendations to the Executive Branch on measures to reform government and make it more effective. He may act on the basis of complaints or press reports or on his own initiative. His recommendations are submitted to the President of Venezuela and to the appropriate senior official. They can also be sent to other entities, including the Office of the Comptroller, the Office of the Public Prosecutor, the Courts, and the Technical Judicial Police. In June 1996 the Presidential Commissioner announced a National Plan for a Commitment to Anti-Corruption Through Education.

Also in Venezuela, a Code of Ethics for Public Officials has been drafted and reviewed and will soon be presented to the President for his approval under a Regulatory Decree.

II. Future Steps

Key steps should include:

• Signature of the Inter-American Convention by those Summit governments that have not yet signed it and ratification of the Convention by the many governments that have not yet ratified it;
• Signature and ratification by additional Summit governments of the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions;
• Strong efforts by States Parties to implement, and monitor the implementation of, the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption and the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions;
• Strong efforts by hemispheric governments to implement, and monitor implementation of, the Inter-American Program for Cooperation in the Fight Against Corruption, adopted in 1997 at Lima;
• The passage of specific anti-corruption legislation in many Summit countries based on model legislation being prepared by the OAS;
• The adoption of additional codes of conduct applicable to public officials;
• Campaigns in Summit countries to educate people regarding the need for, and value of, high ethical standards.

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The problem of corruption is now an issue of serious interest not only in this Hemisphere, but in all regions of the world. Corruption in both the public and private sectors weakens democracy and undermines the legitimacy of governments and institutions. The modernization of the state, including deregulation, privatization and the simplification of government procedures, reduces the opportunities for corruption. All aspects of public administration in a democracy must be transparent and open to public scrutiny.

Governments will:

• Promote open discussion of the most significant problems facing government and develop priorities for reforms needed to make government operations transparent and accountable.
• Ensure proper oversight of government functions by strengthening internal mechanisms, including investigative and enforcement capacity with respect to acts of corruption, and facilitating public access to information necessary for meaningful outside review.
• Establish conflict of interest standards for public employees and effective measures against illicit enrichment, including stiff penalties for those who utilize their public position to benefit private interests.
• Call on the governments of the world to adopt and enforce measures against bribery in all financial or commercial transactions with the Hemisphere; toward this end, invite the OAS to establish liaison with the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions.
• Develop mechanisms of cooperation in the judicial and banking areas to make possible rapid and effective response in the international investigation of corruption cases.
• Give priority to strengthening government regulations and procurement, tax collection, the administration of justice and the electoral and legislative processes, utilizing the support of the IDB and other international financial institutions where appropriate.
• Develop within the OAS, with due regard to applicable treaties and national legislation, a hemispheric approach to acts of corruption in both the public and private sectors that would include extradition and prosecution of individuals so charged, through negotiation of a new hemispheric agreement or new arrangements within existing frameworks for international cooperation.

Combating the Problem of Illegal Drugs and Related Crimes

Action Initiative 6

I. Actions Taken Since December 1994

Through a series of coordinated actions, the Summit governments have launched an unprecedented offensive against drugs and related crimes. The Summit partners have developed new and creative hemispheric initiatives, including an Anti-Drug Strategy for the Hemisphere, a coordinated action plan to combat money laundering, and a convention against illicit firearms. Illicit coca cultivation has been reduced by 40 percent in Peru and in the Andes as a whole by at least 10 percent. Major drug kingpins have been arrested in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. In the United States overall drug use is declining, and the proposed U.S. anti-drug budget for 1999 is the largest in history.

Hemispheric and Global Initiatives

The Hemisphere has been successful in defining and agreeing on a common set of standards and principles for use in guiding and focusing all anti-drug efforts. The following are examples of success in this area:

• All 34 countries have now ratified or acceded to the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances¯including seven that had not done so at the time of the Miami Summit.
• In response to the Plan of Action call to formulate a counter-narcotics strategy for the 21st century, all 34 countries negotiated an Anti-Drug Strategy for the Hemisphere that was endorsed by foreign ministers at a meeting in Uruguay in December 1996. The Strategy, negotiated within the OAS Inter-American Commission on Drug Abuse Control (CICAD), is a detailed, 42-point statement of common policies, commitments, and planned courses of action. CICAD has developed an ambitious and comprehensive implementation plan for the Strategy.
• The Miami Plan of Action called on all states to agree on a coordinated response to combat money laundering. One of the first post-Summit achievements on Initiative 6 was the convening of a series of experts meetings that led to a Ministerial Conference on money laundering held at Buenos Aires in November 1995. The Conference, which included heads of central banks from around the Hemisphere, resulted in a communiqué that outlined a coordinated plan of action concerning legal, regulatory, and enforcement matters and called for ongoing assessments of progress made.
• In response to the call for a global counter-narcotics conference, a United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Narcotics will be held in June 1998.
• In order to strengthen efforts to control firearms, ammunition, and explosives and avoid their diversion to drug traffickers and other criminals, the countries negotiated and, in November 1997, signed the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and other Related Materials.
• Hemispheric efforts are also sustaining post-Summit progress on chemical controls. In late 1995, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela signed agreements with the European Union to cooperate in the control of precursor chemicals and chemical substances used to manufacture illicit drugs. In 1996, with the support of the European Commission and Brazil, the U.S. and six South American countries met in Rio de Janeiro and, among other accomplishments, reached an agreement among Brazil, Peru and Colombia to form a tri-border intelligence committee to share information and improve coordination of enforcement efforts. OAS/CICAD's experts group on precursor chemicals meanwhile continues to work on updating the tables for control of precursor chemicals under CICAD's Model Regulations and harmonizing them with controls under the Vienna Convention. Canada and the European Union are discussing an information exchange agreement to help control the diversion of precursor and essential chemicals.

Sub-Regional Efforts

Governments have undertaken other important initiatives at the sub-regional level. For example, the May 1997 Central American and Caribbean summits, which were attended by President Clinton, provided a strong impetus to narcotics control and law enforcement in those regions. In August 1997, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and the Director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, General Barry R. McCaffrey, chaired a Central American Ministerial Conference in Washington that resulted in pledges to work together to make the region's legal systems more mutually compatible and to forge alliances that transcend traditional donor/recipient bilateral relations. As for the Caribbean area, the U.S. Government and CARICOM have agreed to form a joint committee on justice and security matters to further their cooperation on common concerns in these areas. In addition, the Caribbean countries are considering a draft regional maritime counterdrug agreement that would broaden the legal basis for maritime cooperation.

Bilateral Efforts

Countries have also developed important bilateral initiatives to address particular concerns. The United States and Mexico, for example, have established a Cabinet-level contact group that meets routinely to coordinate national drug policies and strategies. It has improved efforts in the areas of operational planning and information sharing. The several Eastern Caribbean states that comprise the Regional Security System (RSS) are improving cooperative maritime operations against drug smugglers, and the RSS model is being considered by the wider Caribbean region for maritime law enforcement cooperation. Peru and Colombia are cooperating in tracking down fugitive traffickers who cross the borders from each of the two countries.

Anti-Money Laundering Efforts: Almost all of the 34 Summit countries have taken positive steps to implement the money laundering provisions of the Buenos Aires Communiqué. At least ten countries have passed legislation or issued regulations giving effect to the Communiqué in some respect, another seven have introduced new or amending legislation or regulations, and six additional countries are in the process of drafting new or amended legislation and regulations. Eight Summit governments have signed Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties with the United States. CICAD has reconvened its Experts Group on Money Laundering to assist members in implementing the provisions of the Communiqué. The Inter-American Development Bank is helping fund a CICAD program to prevent money launderers from undermining the region's financial institutions. Also, the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has accelerated its anti-money laundering initiatives, including a rigorous mutual evaluation program. Finally, CFATF is the leading candidate to implement a comprehensive regional anti-money laundering training and technical assistance program, jointly funded by the European Union and the