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OAS SECRETARY GENERAL OPENS SPECIAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION

Secretary General José Miguel Insulza today urged Organization of American States (OAS) members to revise the current scale of quotas to be able to finance the Organization’s priorities and ensure a minimum level of operation. He made the appeal as he opened the 31st special session of the OAS General Assembly, convened by unanimous decision of the hemisphere’s foreign ministers last June at the OAS General Assembly held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“If we want the OAS to be more relevant and more involved in tackling the major issues in Latin America and the Caribbean—development, peace, democracy and human rights—we must now make a special joint effort to demonstrate our will,” he told the delegates of the 34 member states.

Funding the essential work of the OAS calls for considering a modest increase in quotas for some countries, Insulza noted in his opening remarks, stressing that this should not mean reduced quota assessments for the remaining countries. “We are asking for a commitment to increase quotas in some cases, in order to increase the overall amount, and to achieve this it is essential that there be no cutbacks in monetary contributions.”

According to Insulza, this General Assembly session should focus on policy negotiations, building on the “broad-based and productive” technical discussions that have already taken place. Insulza said the OAS has emerged from every General Assembly with increased mandates. He explained that at each such meeting, “our own governments have asked the OAS to take on added responsibilities in every area of its work but at the same time have not provided the funds to do this.”

He went on to note that the Organization had significantly increased its activities recently, but that these must be financed by a Regular Fund budget estimated to be worth 40 percent less in real terms than 15 years ago. The Secretary General cited crucial agenda issues as democracy, human rights, integral development and multidimensional security as examples that underscore this contradiction.

During the opening of the special session, chaired by Paraguay’s Ambassador Manuel María Cáceres, the Secretary General asked the 34 member states for authorization to raise the budget ceiling and open up opportunity for new funds.

Meanwhile, Chile’s Deputy Foreign Minister Cristián Barros supported the call for making more funds available, saying that “we have the opportunity to reposition, revitalize and modernize the OAS.” This effort needs active political support from the member states, he said, “if we are to increase our hemispheric dialogue and our international impact.”

Mexico’s Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, Ambassador Jorge Chen, argued that “the work of the OAS should reflect the importance we attach to the Organization, but above all the economic implications for the member states.” Therefore, he added, “we should proceed with extreme caution by first and foremost defining its work plan to ensure it faithfully reflects development and security as priorities shared by the countries of the Americas.”

The OAS Permanent Council convened this two-day special Assembly to discuss the proposal for a revised quota scale. Under the terms of Article 55 of the OAS Charter, the Assembly is required to establish quota assessments taking into account the respective countries’ ability to pay “and their determination to contribute in an equitable manner.” The delegations will also discuss the 2007 budget ceiling and other matters related to the improvement of the Organization’s financial situation.

Reference: E-014/06