Plan of Action
We, the democratically elected Heads of State
and Government of the Americas, recognizing the need to make a collective effort that
complements the actions being developed and executed at the national level to improve the
economic well-being and the quality of life of our peoples, mindful of our commitment to
the continued implementation of the Miami Plan of Action, affirm our resolute
determination to carry out this Plan of Action, which constitutes a body of concrete
initiatives intended to promote the overall development of the countries of the Hemisphere
and ensure access to and improve the quality of education, promote and strengthen democracy and the
respect for human rights, deepen economic integration and free trade and eradicate poverty
and discrimination. We have adopted this Plan of Action conscious that all the initiatives
are inter-related and equally important to the attainment of our common endeavors.
Corruption
Governments will:
Resolutely support the "Inter-American Program to
Combat Corruption" and implement the actions established therein, particularly the
adoption of a strategy to achieve prompt ratification of the 1996 Inter-American
Convention against Corruption, the drafting of codes of conduct for public officials, in
accordance with respective legal frameworks, the study of the problem of laundering assets
or proceeds derived from corruption, and the promotion of information campaigns on the
ethical values that sustain the democratic system.
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Sponsor in Chile a Symposium on Enhancing Probity in the Hemisphere to be held no later than August 1998, in order to consider, among other topics, the scope of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, and the implementation of the aforementioned program
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They will also resolutely support the holding of workshops sponsored by the Organization of American States (OAS) to disseminate the provisions set forth in the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.
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Foster within the OAS framework, and in accordance with the mandate set forth in the Inter-American Program to Combat Corruption, appropriate follow-up on the progress achieved under the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.
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Promote in their domestic legislation the obligation for senior public officials, and those at other levels when the law so establishes, to declare or disclose their personal assets and liabilities to the appropriate agency.
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Encourage the approval of effective and specific measures to combat all forms of corruption, bribery, and related unlawful practices in commercial transactions, among others.