GOOD GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION

The Working Group's two sessions were carried out in an atmosphere of cordiality and enthusiasm, with broad participation by the thirty-odd parliamentarians in attendance. In the first session, there was consensus that corruption is a serious systemic problem that undermines the operation and legitimacy of institutions in all the countries. The participants also related their experiences in the fight against corruption, with emphasis on legislation adopted in their countries and other legislative efforts to counter this phenomenon. The Working Group reached the following conclusions on the theme of governance and corruption:

Political institutions need to be strengthened and made more transparent an independent. There is a need to reduce monopolies and concentrations of power, as well as the degree of discretion of public servants, and to increase the independence and capacity of oversight bodies, especially the judiciary.

The oversight function of parliament needs to be strengthened, for example, in the monitoring of budgetary implementation. As well, it is important to exercise internal control of parliaments and of government agencies, including agencies that handle significant resources, such as customs administrations and tax-collecting agencies.
The media and civil-society organizations have a central role to play in combating corruption, mainly as watchdogs over government actions, but they must act responsibly and objectively.

Education systems have an important role to play in the promotion of ethics and democratic values and practices, as a preventive measure against corruption.

Given the increasing transnationality of this phenomenon, it is important to achieve inter-parliamentary cooperation for the harmonization of laws against corruption such as the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, and also on the funding of election campaigns and political parties.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of the various points made by the Group's participants, the following recommendations are proposed:

Promote in our societies, through the education system, the ethical and moral values that underpin a democratic political culture, with special emphasis on education programs for children and youth.

Promote the use of the new information and telecommunication technologies to ensure greater transparency in the operation of governmental institutions and in processes for government procurement and for the framing, implementation and evaluation of public policies.
Adopt and enforce codes of ethics for parliamentarians and for other public servants at all levels. Likewise, urge the media to adopt their own codes of professional ethics.
Make the necessary decisions to ratify anti-corruption cooperation treaties, especially the Inter-American Convention, and bring national legislation into line with them.

Harmonize inter-American legislation so as to make viable extradition proceedings against all persons convicted of corruption and fugitives from justice.
Encourage legislative initiatives that ensure the legality of electoral processes and transparency in the funding of political parties and election campaigns.
Establish, under FIPA, a permanent anti-corruption working group, taking into account the experiences of other organizations in this field.
Drugs and Crime

The Working Group, after a cordial and well-informed debate on drug trafficking and crime, acknowledged the transnational nature of the drug problem and recognized that it is shared problem with a shared responsibility among the countries in the Hemisphere. The participants related their experiences in their fight against drug trafficking and crime with emphasis on the high social costs that it brings on their countries. The Working Group reached the following conclusions on the theme of drug trafficking and crime:

Drug trafficking cannot be solved on solely a national basis but instead international cooperation is essential for combating the problem. In this regard, greater cooperation is needed between supply and demand countries as well as those countries who find themselves in-transit from the supplying country to the consuming country.

Multilateral rather than unilateral evaluation mechanisms are the most effective manner to identify and address the problems that exist and to find solutions to them.
Measures to combat the drug problem should also include efforts to address societal costs.
Alternate development programs are essential for the solution to the drug problem, but there is a need to examine their societal impact as well.
The spillover effects on a country due to the pursuit of legitimate drug policies by a neighbouring country are acknowledged and should be addressed on an international basis.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the basis of the various points made the Group’s participants, the following recommendations are proposed:

Enhance efforts on an international basis to address the clear link between supply and demand, as it is a shared responsibility among the countries of the Hemisphere.
Although strong law enforcement measures are needed to combat the drug problem, emphasize the need to find solutions to the social costs drugs place on a country.
Promote greater international cooperation, especially by consumer countries, to ensure the success of alternative development programs for crops, as it is an essential component for the fight against drug trafficking.
Harmonize legislation especially in regards to seizures and confiscation of proceeds of money laundering and in the international trafficking of firearms and chemical precursors. Likewise, efforts should be undertaken to ratify and implement the pertinent international agreements that are in place for the combat against drugs.
Encourage initiatives to address the spillover effects of drug trafficking on countries due to legitimate policies being undertaken by their neighbour countries and encourage international cooperation among those affected.
Recognize that the most effective manner to confront the drug problem is not through unilateral methods, but rather through multilateral evaluation mechanisms conducted by international organizations that encourage mutual confidence, dialogue, cooperation and collaboration.
To strengthen, through education at all levels, the principles and values that will discourage the consumption of narcotics and will effectively combat the drug problem and organized crime.

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1. Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Support the creation of a Free Trade Area of the Americas that effectively contributes to raising standards of living of our people, improve equality of opportunities, better the distribution of wealth and democracy.

2. Role of Parliamentarians

Believing that without real and effective participation and support from Parliaments economic integration initiatives cannot fulfill the shared aspiration of economic progress and social development.

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend that as representatives of people in the Americas, national legislatures play a key, effective and active role in the negotiations and signature of international trade agreements to enhance understanding and cooperation among our countries.

3. Non-tariff Barriers and Agricultural Subsidies

Convinced that the FTAA should contribute to the expansion of world trade without raising additional barriers to other countries and avoid the adoption of policies that adversely affect trade in the hemisphere.

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend that the FTAA eliminate non-tariff barriers, as well as other measures of equivalent effects which constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination between countries or a disguised restriction to international trade, in order to prevent protectionist practices and facilitate trade in the hemisphere;

Recommend the elimination of export subsidies and other trade distorting practices that affect agricultural products and derived products.

4. Quality of Life

Certain that the integration of the Americas should not be limited to exclusively commercial aspects but should be regarded as part of a collective effort to improve and strengthen democracy, to reduce poverty and discrimination in the hemisphere and to promote sustainable development;

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend that the FTAA be based on a convergence of political, economic and social values and complemented with actions to improve the quality of life of our peoples. This could be achieved through a social charter or parallel labor and environment agreement that enhance social development.

5. Transparency

Noting that transparency in the FTAA negotiations constitutes a crucial element to broaden public understanding and support for the FTAA.

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend that to take into account the interest and concerns of different sectors of society FTAA negotiations be conducted in a transparent manner to ensure mutual advantage and increased benefits to all participants of the FTAA, and

Call on our governments to consider making available to Parliamentarians the draft text of the FTAA agreement.

6. Differences in the Level of Development

Aware of the differences in the level of development and size of the economies in the Hemisphere and the challenges that a process like the FTAA represents to all participating countries;

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend that special attention be given to the needs, economic conditions and opportunities of smaller economies, to ensure their full participation in the construction and benefits of the FTAA process, and to increase their level of development.

7. Dispute Settlement

Recognizing the value of an agreement with clear, stable, transparent and binding rules, including negotiated mechanisms for dispute settlement;

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend that to increase and broaden the benefits of the FTAA a fair, transparent and effective mechanism for dispute settlement be established to settle disputes among FTAA countries.

8. WTO and Regional Agreements

Cognizant of the important role of bilateral and sub-regional agreements in the integration process of the hemisphere and of our commitment to the global, rules based trading system under the WTO;

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend that the FTAA coexist with bilateral and sub-regional agreements and be consistent with the rules and disciplines of the WTO.

9. Cultural Diversity

Realizing the growing importance of cultural diversity and identity in an increasingly globalized world and that cultural diversity is integral to social cohesion, human development, peaceful coexistence, democratic participation, citizen engagement, and the prosperity of societies;

Aware that the preservation of cultural heritage and its creative use in social and economic development is an important component of sustainable development and is essential in building participation, prosperity and security for the people of the Americas:

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend to protect and promote the unique role that cultural goods and services play in the identity and diversity of society and the lives of individuals;

Call on the communities of the Americas to work together to encourage national and international dialogue toward action in support of culture as a fundamental element of human life in the 21st century.

10. Debt Reduction

Whereas debt reduction of unsustainable debt levels is essential for poor countries to be able to share in the promise of increased prosperity that is the raison d’être of free-trade agreements;

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend to any governments, that in case of major disaster, a special fund should be erected to help in the reconstruction of essential services to the population affected and a temporary relief of debt repayment should be awarded;

Recommend that the developed countries of the Western Hemisphere continue to pursue initiatives targeted at the developing countries in the Hemisphere as a means of allowing all countries to fully share in the benefits of a Free Trade Area of the Americas.

Consider necessary to seek alternative ways of negotiating debt reduction for developing countries through multiple mechanisms, such as exchange of debt for natural resources or social development, in order to support better financial conditions and protection of the environment.

11. Financing Development

Recognizing the importance of identifying additional sources of financing and support for development, based on accessible conditions to countries, and to promote the development of disadvantaged regions and social groups in order to bridge the gap between rich and poor regions;

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend the creation of a compensation fund or other mechanism that promotes direct investment and makes the integration process viable.

Acknowledging that migration of workers is a problem that may arise due to the lack of opportunities in their country of origin;

We Parliamentarians of the Americas,

Recommend immigration policies from developed countries that fully respect human rights allowing flexible transit of people.

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Background Considerations

There was broad consensus at the meeting that the aim of government authorities, and especially of the legislative powers in the hemisphere, should be to eradicate poverty on the continent in its ethical, political and social ramifications.

The poverty and marginalization imposed on millions of citizens violates the dignity inherent in every human being. This situation is especially serious in the case of women, children, seniors, indigenous communities, rural populations and marginal urban concentrations.

Furthermore, there is broad agreement that the parliamentarians of the Americas should work together to reduce poverty and its impact, without losing sight of the fact that it is not only the fault of material elements.

Accordingly, improving the quality of life of our peoples is directly related to sustained efforts to combat poverty, increase education and strengthen cultures, generate employment in adequate conditions in a framework of acceptable minimum levels of food, health, housing and clothing for the whole population.

Moreover, the creation of prosperity will be reflected in the achievement of a new generation of workers with higher levels of schooling to gain access to better opportunities and higher incomes.

The condition of poverty is often the result of a multiplicity of factors, and there is often a close relationship between unstable political systems and weak institutions, along with endemic corruption, inequity in the redistribution of wealth, deterioration of the terms of trade and situations of poverty, linked to nonrespect for economic, social and cultural rights.

International cooperation based on the mutual interest of states, coupled with processes of integration, such as free-trade initiatives, must lead to improvement of economic competitiveness, especially in less-developed countries, without forgetting that the aim must be to improve the people’s quality of life.

Finally, the focal point and aim of all public policy must be the welfare of the people. Elected representatives of the people, congresses and parliaments of the Americas, as well as FIPA, should see that this goal is achieved.

Likewise, poverty is closely related to deterioration of the environment. Economic-development policies should be harmonized with care of the environment within the framework of sustainable-development policies.

Failure to achieve anti-poverty goals will have a negative repercussion on the environment.

In fact, poverty leads to irrational use of resources in order to meet the basic needs of the poorest populations.

Infrastructure works, territorial organization and transportation contribute to the quality of life and must contribute to sustainable development.

Depletion of a nation’s natural heritage affects not only the country in which this takes place but also mankind as a whole, since future generations will not be able to benefit from these natural goods exhausted by irrational use.

It is necessary to encourage the involvement of civil society in matters related to sustainable development and the environment. This requires political efforts that lead to public awareness and training and education on environmental issues. Such efforts should be promoted not only at all levels of government, but also at all levels of civil society.

Preservation of the environment is a common theme of mankind, and national and international policies must include penalties and incentives that reward discipline in preservation of the environment.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In the light of these considerations, we make the following recommendations:

We commit ourselves to proposing bold, concrete and effective initiatives in the search for solutions to the problem of poverty. We will work to optimize the efficiency of the oversight role of the administration and of the executive power; and we will take decisive action to promote a frontal assault on poverty, using, for example, a better and more suitable budgetary allotment aimed at social equity.

We will work to strengthen the role of the political parties, civil society and the local levels in the search for solutions that address the structural and endemic causes of poverty.
We will promote well-rounded development based on equity and social inclusiveness which, while recognizing cultural diversity, overcomes conditions that entrench and reproduce situations of poverty as well as economies dependent on a single product, by establishing specific policies and programs for each vulnerable sector, zone or population.

We recognize that, at the national level, parliamentarians can play a decisive role, increasing opportunities for poor and marginalized people through legal mechanisms that enable less-favored sectors to take advantage of new economic opportunities and to overcome the lack of connections, information, knowledge or credit. The key to reducing poverty in the Americas is overcoming the high level of injustice. Accordingly, we commit ourselves to strengthening institutional relations at the international level, and to exchanging knowledge and experience in the struggle to reduce poverty.

We affirm that FIPA should be an instrument for exchanging experiences and capacities as well as a forum for group thinking, using the modern technological means to assume a proactive approach to the reduction and eradication of poverty and to encourage the governments of the Americas to establish public policies for sustainable development, with the support of international organizations.

Likewise, we commit ourselves to promoting cooperation between national governments and international agencies, with a view to exchanging replicable experiences in environmental matters and creating effective legal and regulatory frameworks.

We commit ourselves to promoting quality education that is relevant and equitable, and that promotes values and respect for the cultural identity of peoples.

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