AG/RES. 2195 (XXXVI-O/06)
STRENGTHENING POLITICAL PARTIES AND OTHER POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS
FOR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE
(Adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 6, 2006)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
BEARING IN MIND that the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS) recognizes that representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the stability, peace, and development of the region;
CONSIDERING that Article 3 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter states that the essential elements of representative democracy include, among other things, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; access to power and its exercise in accordance with the rule of law; the holding of regular, free, and fair elections, based on secret balloting and universal suffrage as an expression of the sovereignty of the people; the pluralistic system of political parties and organizations; and the separation of powers and independence of the branches of government;
CONSIDERING ALSO that Article 5 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter stipulates that the strengthening of political parties and other political organizations is a priority for democracy;
RECALLING that in the Declaration of Nuevo León, adopted during the Special Summit of the Americas, held in Monterrey, Mexico, the member states recognized that political pluralism and sound political parties are essential elements of democracy; underscored the importance of rules to ensure the transparency of party finances, to prevent corruption and the risk of undue influence, and to encourage a high level of electoral participation; and consequently agreed to promote the conditions that enable political parties to thrive, autonomous of government control;
RECOGNIZING the important role played by political parties in democratic governance by mediating and channeling citizens’ demands and by serving as government and opposition;
RECALLING the hemispheric mandates regarding the strengthening and modernization of political parties handed down by the member states in both the Plan of Action of the Third Summit of the Americas and the Inter-American Democratic Charter;
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the activities carried out by the Inter-American Forum on Political Parties (FIAPP); and that, at the subregional and regional levels, the member states concerned have fostered actions aimed at developing democratic institutions and strengthening political parties, such as the efforts of the Rio Group and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO);
BEARING IN MIND the proposals for strengthening political parties adopted at the international meeting on “Democracy, Governance, and Political Parties in Latin America,” organized by PARLATINO, that were conveyed to the XVIII Presidential Summit of the Rio Group;
RECOGNIZING the role assigned to the Department for the Promotion of Democracy and the Department for the Promotion of Good Governance of the Organization to work with member states and civil society to strengthen political parties and citizen participation in political life; and
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT that, in compliance with the mandates conferred by the Inter-American Democratic Charter and the Declaration of Nuevo León, the General Secretariat has concluded its comparative study of how electoral campaigns and political parties are funded,
RESOLVES:
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To underscore the importance of consolidating the role of political parties, and of having solid, relevant, and transparent political parties, to guarantee the proper exercise and functioning of democracy.
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To urge member states to consider the adoption of measures aimed at strengthening political parties under a pluralistic system of political parties and organizations, including the passage and/or amendment of electoral legislation.
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To encourage transparent handling of political party funds, the fight against corruption and influence-peddling, and the promotion of equal opportunities among the members of political parties.
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To acknowledge the work carried out by the Inter-American Forum on Political Parties (FIAPP) and the Department for the Promotion of Democracy of the General Secretariat; and to urge them to continue providing assistance to those member states and regional parliamentary bodies that so request, thus contributing to strengthening and reforming the Hemisphere’s political parties and party systems, including technical assistance for political parties and/or national parliaments in the field of political funding, and the dissemination of some common principles identified related to the funding of electoral campaigns and political parties.
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To instruct the Permanent Council and the General Secretariat to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
AG/RES. 2196 (XXXVI-O/06)
COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES AND THE SECRETARIAT OF THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM, THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION SYSTEM,
THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY, AND THE SECRETARIAT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN STATES
(Adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 6, 2006)
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN the report of the Secretary General on the implementation of resolution AG/RES. 2102 (XXXV-O/05), “Cooperation between the Organization of American States and the United Nations System, the General Secretariat of the Central American Integration System, and the General Secretariat of the Caribbean Community” (CP/doc.4129/06),
RESOLVES:
1. To take note of the report of the Secretary General on the implementation of resolution AG/RES. 2102 (XXXV-O/05), which outlines the activities carried out under the cooperation agreements between the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the secretariats of the United Nations, the Central American Integration System (SICA), and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
2. To request the General Secretariat to implement, within available resources, the recommendations of previous general meetings and to consider the possibility of holding similar meetings in 2007 with the United Nations, with SICA, with CARICOM, and with the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in an effort to define new and updated modalities for cooperation between the General Secretariat and the secretariats of these organizations.
3. To request the Secretary General to continue and to strengthen activities involving cooperation between the OAS General Secretariat and each of the following organizations: the United Nations system, the General Secretariat of SICA, the General Secretariat of CARICOM, and the Secretariat of the ACS.
4. To request the Secretary General to facilitate increased intersectoral contacts with the heads of the technical areas of the four organizations mentioned above.
5. To request the Secretary General to present a report on these actions to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh regular session.
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