General assembly thirty-seventh regular session panama, republic of panama

Volume I

José Miguel Insulza

Secretary General

Organization of American States

AG/DEC. 52 (XXXVII-O/07)

THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND HEADS OF DELEGATION OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS), meeting in Panama City, Republic of Panama, on the occasion of the thirty-seventh regular session of the General Assembly,

• 
  Of the need to promote clean energy through research, development, and the transfer of environmentally sound technology, and international partnerships and/or agreements;
  

• 
  Of the need to enhance energy efficiency and conservation in the Hemisphere and to promote sustainable patterns of production and consumption; and
  

• 
  That the transition to a sustainable development model, based on the generation and efficient use of renewable forms of energy and balanced patterns of consumption, will require the implementation of a set of progressive measures and, in that context, that it is important to continue promoting, through the use of cleaner and innovative technologies, a better use of fossil fuels in relation to the environment, given their continued predominant role in the energy matrix;
  

NOTING that cooperation, partnerships, and/or agreements between the public and private sectors and other sectors of society, in accordance with national law, may help promote the Hemisphere’s energy agenda;

1. 
   Their recognition of the fundamental importance to the member states of the availability of energy resources for the promotion of their economic and social development in an environmentally sustainable manner.
   

2. 
   Their recognition of the need to obtain and use all forms of energy that are in harmony with life and nature, preserving air, water, and land, which provide indispensable food and habitat for all living beings, and to foster access for the more vulnerable populations, consistent with social and environmental sensitivity.
   

3. 
   Their resolve to underscore that democratic governance, strong democratic institutions, the rule of law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are essential elements in advancing the energy and sustainable development goals of member states and the region, combating social exclusion, and fostering the public good.
   

4. 
   Their recognition of the importance of transparency in energy-related government and private-sector activities, as well as underscoring the importance of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption to the states of the Hemisphere and its follow-up mechanism (MESICIC).
   

5. 
   Their recognition also that the region must endeavor to reduce its vulnerability to fluctuations in the price and supply of energy and seek to increase its energy independence through measures such as the diversification of the energy matrix, favoring an increase in the sustainable use of renewable and cleaner energy or other modalities, as appropriate, in accordance with each country’s legislation, improving energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy, and to increase their coverage of energy services for social development purposes.
   

6. 
   Their need to recognize the potential of biofuels for diversifying the energy matrix of the Hemisphere. Accordingly, they will join efforts to share experiences gained in the region, with a view to achieving maximum efficiency in the sustainable use of those sources to promote social, technological, agricultural, and productive development.
   

7. 
   Their emphasis that the long-term sustainability of energy supply in the member states depends on the efficient management and development and the sustainable use of natural resources for conversion into innovative and environmentally sound energy applications.
   

8. 
   Their recognition of the importance of ensuring compatibility among the production of all energy sources, agricultural production, preservation of the environment, and the promotion and defense of decent social and labor conditions, ensuring the role of the Americas as an efficient energy producer.
   

9. 
   Their resolve to develop and invest in national, subregional, and regional energy infrastructures to facilitate the availability of and access to energy, as well as to protect them and to move toward subregional and regional energy integration. To these ends, they emphasize the advisability, in accordance with national law, of public-private partnerships and/or agreements, giving priority to those favoring our sustainable development.
   

10. 
    Their support for the efforts toward the sustainable development of the member states, through the use of energy strategies and services recommended in this Declaration that can promote the generation of new productive activities and the introduction of new environmentally sound technologies in matters that concern energy.
    

11. 
    Their recognition of the need to strengthen economic and technical cooperation at the regional and international levels in the energy sector.
    

12. 
    Their resolve to join forces in the implementation of energy policies in the Hemisphere to develop projects and initiatives based on solidarity, transparency, cooperation, and complementarity, to promote more prosperous, just, equitable, and inclusive societies.
    

13. 
    Their recognition of energy integration efforts, including existing experiences, and continued progress in the integration of energy systems and networks, and in the study of the possibility of harmonizing regulations among member states, in order to promote sustainable development and the more efficient and rational use of energy resources and increased marketing of energy products and services among said states.
    

14. 
    Their determination to increase access by citizens of the member states to efficient energy services; and to emphasize that the use of energy for household purposes and for small-scale productive activities contributes to improving living conditions and fighting poverty.
    

15. 
    Their recognition of the need for member states to draw upon their experiences and those of multilateral organizations to promote synergy among specific programs on the use of energy for sustainable development and to study possible innovative funding and cooperation mechanisms.
    

16. 
    Their recognition of the importance of multilateral lending and cooperation agencies for promoting new and innovative financing mechanisms and advisory services aimed at fostering renewable energy and access to new cleaner technologies as well as the more efficient use of existing programs and the use of special funds created with voluntary contributions from donors.
    

17. 
    Their recognition also of the efforts of those countries that, on the basis of the implementation of new financing modalities, promote sustainable development, the use of renewable energy, cleaner energy, and environmental protection, in particular for those areas that are rich in biodiversity.
    

18. 
    Their recognition also of the contribution of private-sector participation, in accordance with national laws and policies, in the development of traditional and new energy sources and in the installation of national and international distribution systems and networks.
    

19. 
    Their recognition of the urgent need to take measures, mostly in the transportation and industry sectors, for the use of cleaner and more efficient technologies, the better use of existing technologies, and the use of less polluting fuels, bearing in mind also the need to promote the participation of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, including cooperatives and other production units, to contribute to this effort.
    

20. 
    Their recognition of the importance of promoting the development of cleaner and more efficient technologies conducive to the greater use of renewable and less polluting energy in public and private transportation, as well as of promoting an expanded use of public transportation with said technologies, both to increase the efficient use of energy and to reduce its environmental impact.
    

21. 
    Their commitment to encourage the input of financial resources, including those of the private sector, with the aim of promoting the dissemination and transfer of environmentally sustainable technologies, and capacity-building.
    

22. 
    Their encouragement of an efficient energy resource management that reflects what is required for achieving sustainable development in all the member states, taking into consideration national circumstances.
    

23. 
    Their request that the General Secretariat, in coordination with other institutions and experts:
    

• 
  Continue to promote instructional and training programs for relevant actors in the public and private energy sectors, taking into account the possibilities offered by the Scholarship and Training Programs of the OAS and other possible funding sources;
  

• 
  Maintain, update, and distribute a registry of specialists of the member states who, at the request of the countries of the region, can offer cooperation on energy matters; and
  

• 
  Support regional dialogue for the creation and strengthening of markets and the promotion of energy efficiency and conservation for sustainable development.
  

24. 
    Their request to the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) to convene an inter-American meeting of national authorities and experts, with the participation of other relevant institutions, before the thirty-eighth regular session of the General Assembly, for the discussion of experiences, best practices, and other information relating to the subject of this Declaration that will contribute to the sustainable development of all countries in the Hemisphere, and to create a Joint Working Group of the Permanent Council and CIDI to determine the meeting’s agenda.
    

25. 
    Their request to the General Secretariat of the OAS to promote the support and synergy of states, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, and the academic community, to promote the contents of this Declaration of Panama, and to report on a regular basis to the Permanent Council and to the Inter-American Council for Integral Development.
    

26. 
    Their appreciation to the people and Government of the Republic of Panama for their warm hospitability during the thirty-seventh regular session of the OAS General Assembly.
    

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

AG/DEC. 54 (XXXVII-O/07)

The member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) express their support for the efforts being made by the Colombian state to achieve a conclusive peace and security in that country.

AG/DEC. 55 (XXXVII-O/07)

THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND HEADS OF DELEGATION OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS), meeting in Panama City, Republic of Panama, on the occasion of the thirty-seventh regular session of the General Assembly,

1. 
   Their continued support for the White Helmets Initiative as a hemispheric mechanism providing human and technical resources for dealing with humanitarian, social, and developmental emergencies in the region, as well as for providing and facilitating effective responses to disaster situations.
   

1. 
   Their recognition of the work done in the framework of the OAS/IDB/White Helmets Program and in the strengthening of the Regional Humanitarian Volunteer Corps Network with technical assistance projects, missions, and workshops.
   

2. 
   Their satisfaction at the decision taken by the White Helmets of Argentina to join forces with those of the Organization of American States and the World Food Programme in order to engage in joint activities in support of the most vulnerable sectors, and their support for strong cooperation and coordination between the White Helmets and existing United Nations mechanisms and processes.
   
3. 
   The need to continue making progress with the development of international programs aimed at reducing hunger and poverty and mitigating the effects of disasters, including the cooperation of the White Helmets Initiative and the Regional Humanitarian Volunteer Corps Network.
   

SOCCER MATCHES IN CITIES AT ALTITUDES OF

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

1. 
   The deep concern of the member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) over the decision of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), which states that “for medical reasons and to better protect the players’ health international matches should not be played at altitudes of more than 2,500 meters above sea level,” since said decision does not foster sporting practices and affects tourism, integration, and the spirit of fraternity.
   

2. 
   Its decision to transmit to the Executive Committee of FIFA the recommendation that it reconsider that measure.
   

3. 
   Its decision to encourage the pertinent national and regional soccer federations to use their good offices to try to induce the FIFA to reconsider the aforementioned measure, in order to ensure the spirit of fraternity that should characterize the playing of soccer as a universal sport.
   

AG/RES. 2259 (XXXVII-O/07)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

1. 
   To urge authorities of member state governments to continue to promote the development, incorporation, and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs); and to request the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) and the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States to support such efforts.
   

2. 
   To express its satisfaction with the work of CITEL in the identification of measures to strengthen hemispheric cooperation for the development of telecommunication infrastructure, and in the creation of an important platform for dialogue and exchange of experiences in order to move forward in this area.
   

3. 
   To instruct the General Secretariat to implement the programs and projects set out in the Strategic Plan of CITEL for 20062010, especially those referring to the work of the second phase of the Agenda for Connectivity in the Americas, promotion of the use of ICTs and the availability of broadband infrastructure, further human resource development and training, and preparation and follow-up of American proposals, positions, and coordinated views for high-level international telecommunication meetings, so as to strengthen the regional position in the international context.
   

4. 
   To instruct CITEL, with support from the General Secretariat:
   

1. 
   To continue reviewing, in the framework of the second phase of the Agenda for Connectivity in the Americas, the status of telecommunication/ICT services and connectivity;
   

2. 
   To identify the sectors with critical deficiencies where priority action is needed; and
   

3. 
   To present each year a report to the General Assembly that contains concrete proposals on how best to improve the status of ICTs in the countries, for wide dissemination in the member states, the private sector, and other interested groups.
   

5. 
   To invite all member states to attach high priority to allocating resources to the telecommunications sector and to step up cooperation between developed and developing countries, as well as among developing countries, with a view to facilitating access to telecommunications infrastructure, especially in rural areas.
   

6. 
   To urge the Secretary General to include CITEL projects and programs among the priorities presented for the mobilization of external resources.
   

7. 
   To urge member states and permanent observers, individuals, and national and international public and private entities that so desire, to support and/or participate in ongoing CITEL activities, in accordance with the CITEL Statute, to follow up on their progress, and to make voluntary contributions to support the development and implementation of CITEL projects and programs.
   

8. 
   To request that the Permanent Council, through the Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs (CAAP), invite the Secretariat of CITEL to submit reports periodically on the financial resources needed to implement its mandates.
   

9. 
   To request CITEL to present to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth regular session a follow-up report on the implementation of this resolution.
   

AG/RES. 2260 (XXXVII-O/07)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

1. 
   To reiterate to member states the invitation contained in resolution AG/RES. 2109 (XXXV-O/05) to give consideration to the recommendations contained in the aforementioned United Nations study, in order to strengthen education and training for disarmament and nonproliferation.
   

2. 
   To instruct the Permanent Council to continue to identify, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, relevant actions that could be implemented by the Organization of American States (OAS) to promote disarmament and nonproliferation education in the Hemisphere.
   

3. 
   For the purpose set out in the preceding paragraph, to request the Permanent Council to consider the topic at a meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security in which the member states and special guests may express their views thereon, including proposals for action by the OAS and pertinent information on measures taken by member states to promote disarmament and nonproliferation education.
   

4. 
   To request the Secretary General to forward this resolution to the United Nations Secretary-General.
   

5. 
   To instruct the Permanent Council to carry out the activities mentioned in this resolution within the resources allocated in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources.
   

6. 
   To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
   

AG/RES. 2261 (XXXVII-O/07)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

1. 
   To recognize the important work and achievements of the Governments of Ecuador and Peru in destroying their stockpiles and in mine-clearing in common border areas and, in the case of Peru, in other areas of its respective territory, as well as in promoting education on the risks posed by antipersonnel mines in order to continue significantly reducing the number of accidents caused by these devices.
   

2. 
   To encourage the Governments of Ecuador and Peru to continue their intensive cooperation in the area of mine action as an innovative form of confidence- and security-building, action that could serve as a new means of confidence- and security-building for other countries concerned and generate the political momentum needed to maintain the Hemisphere’s global leadership in promoting this essential humanitarian task.
   

3. 
   Also to encourage the Governments of Ecuador and Peru to continue mine-clearing operations on the border, so that the border area may be free of antipersonnel mines within the time frame estimated by the two countries, with technical advice from the Program for Comprehensive Action against Antipersonnel Mines (AICMA) and the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB).
   

4. 
   To urge member states, permanent observers, international organizations, and the international community in general to continue providing technical and financial support for continuation of the humanitarian demining program in Ecuador and Peru, which is a successful example of international cooperation in this area.
   

5. 
   To instruct the General Secretariat to continue to cooperate fully, through AICMA, with programs to support comprehensive action against antipersonnel mines in Ecuador and Peru, including work on humanitarian mine-clearing, the physical and psychological rehabilitation of victims and their families, prevention education, and the social and economic reclamation of demined areas.
   

6. 
   To instruct the General Secretariat once again to continue to work, through AICMA, on identifying and raising voluntary contributions from member states, permanent observers, and other states, as well as other organizations, to the specific fund intended to continue to finance mine-clearing and comprehensive action programs against antipersonnel mines carried out by Ecuador and Peru in their respective territories.
   

7. 
   To request the Permanent Council and the General Secretariat to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
   

AG/RES. 2262 (XXXVII-O/07)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

RESOLVES:

APPENDIX
COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONING OF THE WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE THE NATIONAL REPORTS ENVISIONED IN THE PROTOCOL OF SAN SALVADOR

1. 
   COMPOSITION OF THE WORKING GROUP
   

The Working Group to Examine the Progress Reports of the States Parties to the Protocol of San Salvador shall be composed of:

1. 
   Three government experts elected by the states parties during the session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) from a list of candidates nominated by the states parties, taking into account equitable geographic distribution and rotation. Additionally, an alternate government expert.
   

2. 
   One independent expert, who shall be a highly qualified professional with recognized experience in the field, appointed during the OAS General Assembly session by the Secretary General of the Organization from among a list of candidates nominated by the states parties, each country being restricted to one candidate. The candidates shall be academics, members of civil society organizations of the respective country, or members of civil society organizations registered with the OAS; at the time of selection, they may not hold government posts or serve in any branch of government. Additionally, an alternate independent expert.
   

3. 
   One member of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). In addition, one alternate member.
   

2. 
   GENERAL RULES
   

1. 
   The General Secretariat, through the Office of International Law of the Department of International Legal Affairs, shall serve as Technical Secretariat of the Working Group.
   

2. 
   Both the government experts and the independent expert shall serve for a three-year term, with the exception of the first term, in which, for the sake of continuity, one of the elected government experts shall be drawn by lot to serve a two-year term, along with the independent expert. In no case may experts be reelected.
   

3. 
   No national of the state party whose report is to be examined may participate in the review.
   

4. 
   To carry out its mandate, the Working Group may meet for five days every six months at OAS headquarters. When the Group is not in session, it shall conduct its work by electronic or other means.
   

5. 
   The states parties’ reports and the Working Group’s analysis shall be submitted to the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), as provided in Article 19 of the Protocol of San Salvador. Each year, the Working Group shall present a report to CIDI for presentation to the OAS General Assembly, with a copy to the Permanent Council, transmitted through the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP).
   

AG/RES. 2263 (XXXVII-O/07)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

AG/RES. 2264 (XXXVII-O/07)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

1. 
   To reaffirm the importance of, and its support for, the Inter-American Program for the Development of International Law; and to request the Department of International Legal Affairs of the General Secretariat to continue carrying out the activities enumerated in the Program.
   

2. 
   To urge that the General Secretariat, through the Office of International Law of the Department of International Legal Affairs, continue conducting the Workshops on International Law and the Course on International Law in Rio de Janeiro and provide support for activities designed to increase awareness of international law, with special emphasis on the inter-American system, as well as for activities involving the dissemination of legal information and the status of signatures and ratifications of inter-American treaties deposited with the General Secretariat, through publications, electronic media, and the Internet, in all the official languages of the Organization of American States (OAS).
   

3. 
   To urge the General Secretariat to continue holding workshops through the Office of International Law of the Department of International Legal Affairs on topics of interest in the field of international law, for the staff of the permanent missions of the OAS member states, General Secretariat personnel, and the general public.
   

4. 
   To request the Office of International Law of the Department of International Legal Affairs to continue doing its utmost to disseminate information on the instruments of the inter-American system in diplomatic academies, other training centers for civil servants, and other law schools in the Hemisphere, in the context of the mandates of the Inter-American Program for the Development of International Law and of the recommendations of the meeting of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs, held in January 2006, on how inter-American law is addressed, including the design of a model general course on the inter-American system.
   

5. To request the Permanent Council to follow up on the implementation of this resolution, which will be carried out within the resources allocated in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources, and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth regular session.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

1. 
   To endorse the observations and recommendations of the Permanent Council on the Annual Report of the Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI) and to forward them to the Juridical Committee.
   

2. 
   To thank the CJI for including in its annual report document CJI/doc.190/05 rev. 3, “Legal Aspects of the Interdependence between Democracy and Economic and Social Development,” attached to its resolution CJI/RES. 106 (LXVIII-O/06) on this topic, and for including as well resolutions CJI/RES. 104 (LXVIII-O/06) and CJI/RES. 115 (LXIX-O/06), on the Seventh Inter-American Specialized Conference on Private International Law (CIDIP-VII) and the reports attached to those resolutions.
   

3. 
   To thank the CJI for forwarding to the Permanent Council resolution CJI/RES. 123 (LXX-O/07), “Right to Information,” attached to which is report CJI/doc.25/00 rev. 2, “Right to Information: Access to and Protection of Information and Personal Data in Electronic Format,” as requested by resolution AG/RES. 2252 (XXXVI-O/06); and resolution CJI/RES. 125 (LXX-O/07), “Promotion of the International Criminal Court,” attached to which is report CJI/doc.256/07 rev. 1 on this matter, as requested by resolution AG/RES. 2176 (XXXVI-O/06); and for forwarding to the Working Group to Prepare a Draft Inter-American Convention against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and Intolerance resolution CJI/RES. 124 (LXX-O/07), “The Struggle against Discrimination and Intolerance in the Americas,” attached to which is report CJI/doc.258/07 on this matter, as a contribution to the negotiations in that working group.
   

4. 
   To request the CJI to include in its next annual report an updated report on the protection of personal data, on the basis of comparative legislation.
   

5. 
   To underscore once again the importance of holding the Course on International Law, organized each year in Rio de Janeiro by the CJI and the Office of International Law of the Department of International Legal Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS); to highlight the importance of increasing the amount of OAS scholarship awards for that course; to urge member states to consider the possibility of paying directly for the participation of students and professors from their own countries; and to recognize the work of the Office of International Law in publishing the lectures given during that course.
   

6. 
   To reaffirm the importance of the close ties maintained by the CJI with the political organs of the OAS, particularly the Permanent Council; and to recommend to the CJI that it continue to focus its efforts on the matters which the competent organs identify as being of priority interest to the Organization.
   

7. 
   To emphasize the need to provide increased administrative and budgetary support to the CJI, with a view to adequately addressing the current inter-American legal agenda and issuing the corresponding recommendations, within the resources allocated in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources.
   

8. 
   To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth regular session on the implementation of this resolution, which will be carried out within the resources allocated in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources.