Public security is one of the major concerns of the Americas. That being so, and following up on a September 2007 proposal by the OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, in April 2008 the OAS Permanent Council convened the First Inter-American Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security (MISPA), which will be held on October 7-8, 2008, in Mexico City, Mexico. The Department of Public Security (DPS) initiated a preparatory process with the participation of the institutions of the inter-American system, international and subregional development agencies, academics, and civil society organizations.

The purpose of this meeting is to share successful experiences and exchange information as a basis for examining recommendations regarding public security management, the management of police forces, crime and violence prevention, citizen participation in public security, and international cooperation on security issues. A Working Group, was established in the framework of the Committee on Hemispheric Security to prepare a draft agenda, a draft Political Declaration, and a Plan of Action. This Working Group meets to discuss initiatives in the area of security. It comprises the delegates of the OAS member states and guests representing organizations in the inter-American system, such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); the World Bank; United Nations agencies such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT); and sub regional entities such as the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), the Central American Integration System (SICA), the Andean Community, and the Inter-American Coalition for the Prevention of Violence (IACPV). Parallel to the sessions of this Working Group, preparatory meetings have also been held and their conclusions have served as inputs for the special Working Group. One such meeting was held in Santiago, Chile and another in Jamaica with academics and experts on security matters, while a third meeting took place in Guatemala with representatives of civil society.