Monday, August 3, 2009
11th Summit of Heads of State of the Tuxtla Mechanism of Dialogue and Agreement
Guanacaste Declaration
Guanacaste, Costa Rica, July 29, 2009
The Heads of State of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico
and Panama, as well as the Vice Prime Minister of Belize, member countries of the Tuxtla Mechanism of Dialogue and Agreement;
the Head of State of Colombia, in its capacity as member state of the Mesoamerica Integration and Development Project, and
Vice President of the Dominican Republic, in its capacity as a SICA Associated State, and the Representative of the President
of Honduras, José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, gathered in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, on July 29 2009, to celebrate the 11th Summit
Meeting of the Tuxtla Mechanism of Dialogue and Agreement, with the firm will to strengthen the links between our countries.
Convinced that the Tuxtla Mechanism is a key organization for strengthening links between the peoples of the
region, who seek to reinforce political agreement, integration, development, trade and cooperation.
Realizing
that the purpose of this forum is to achieve higher levels of well-being and social and economic development for the inhabitants
of our countries.
Convinced that this mechanism is an opportunity to jointly face current and future challenges,
by combining the efforts and potential of the countries in the region.
WE AGREED TO
I Political Affairs
1 Repeat
our firm commitment to the rule of law as a model that implies the supremacy of the rule of law, the existence of legal security,
the effective exercise of civic freedom and the principle of subordination of the armed forces, police and public security
forces to constitutionally established civil authorities, elected through democratic, free, transparent and pluralistic processes.
2 Forcefully condemn the coup d’état against the Government of Honduras
and the serious damage caused to its democratic institutions and the legitimate exercise of power of its President, José Manuel
Zelaya. The signatory countries repeat their total support of the re-establishment of the institutional order through dialogue,
in keeping with the resolutions passed by the United Nations Organization (UN), the Organization of American States (OEA)
and the Declarations of the Group of Río and the Central American System of Integration (SICA).
3 In this respect, we agreed to repeat our support of the initiative submitted by President of
Costa Rica, Dr, Óscar Arias, in his capacity as mediator, called the San José Agreement, which constitutes an important proposal
for finding a peaceful, negotiated solution to this conflict.
4
Confirm the commitment in both our countries and the appropriate international forums to continue promoting integral
attention to the migratory phenomenon, which includes work in favor of migrants, regardless of their migratory status, as
well as promoting actions that acknowledge both their causes and their effects and promote the positive contributions for
both their countries of origin and their countries of destination, as a definitive guide to the definition and elaboration
of better policies, programs, norms and actions to encourage the legal, orderly, safe handling of migratory flows, with full
respect for migratory flows and people’s dignity.
5 Confirm
the commitment to combat and prevent the illegal trafficking of migrants and the dealing of persons in all forms and to guarantee
the full protection of and care for the victims of these crimes, particularly women, children and teenagers. In this respect,
to take note of the agreements and results achieved during the 14th Regional Conference on Migration (CRM) held in the City
of Guatemala, from July 6 to 10, 2009.
6 In this same
context, to stress the signing of the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of Mexico, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua for the decent, orderly, swift, safe repatriation of Central American nationals by land.
7 Receive with satisfaction the Structured, Comprehensive Bi-regional Dialogue
on Migrations between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union begun on June 30 2009. This dialogue will permit
joint work and cooperation between both regions on the basis of the principle of shared responsibilities and the commitment
to deal with all the elements that intervene in migration.
8
Promote, within the context of the Central America-Mexico Security Strategy, the components and activities required
to increase the security of people and their assets in the region, by guaranteeing our peoples the right to achieve full human
development.
9 Welcome the Merida Initiative, as an important
instrument of international cooperation in the fight against transnational organized crime, particularly drug trafficking,
on the basis of shared but different responsibilities between states. Moreover, to express the desire to expand regional cooperation
against organized crime and the urgent need to increase funds to develop and strengthen the capacities of each state. In this
respect, to repeat the request to the US government to increase the cooperation resources assigned to this issue.
10 Express our satisfaction over the strengthening and institutionalization of the
Central America-Mexico Dialogue regarding democratic security, through the mechanism of work for integral attention to fighting
drug trafficking and organized crime, adopted during the 38th Meeting of the Central American Security Commission.
11 Highlight the importance of the celebration of the Regional Summit on the World
Problem of Drugs, Security and Cooperation and pledge to work for the success of this summit, to be held in Mexico during
the last quarter of this year, which will enable us to expand political dialogue and adopt new regional modalities that will
reinforce international cooperation against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.
12 Take note of the work carried out at the Presidential Day between Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama
for Fighting Organized Crime, held in Panama in January 2009, whose First Technical Meeting was held in Mexico City on June
17 2009.
13 Highlight the importance of the OEA Hemispheric
Plan of Action against Transnational Organized Crime and repeat our interest in having the Technical Group’s Work Program
in this respect. Ask the Working Group in charge of drawing up the Regional Strategy for Inter-American Cooperation for the
Treatment of Criminal Gangs to fulfill its mandate of creating a regional instrument that will provide specific lines of action
for dealing with this phenomenon.
14 Support the Mechanism
of Multilateral Evaluation of the Interamerican Commission for Drug Abuse Control (MEM/CICAD) whose Fifth Round of Evaluation
will take place during the second semester of 2009 and the first semester of 2010 in Washington D.C.
15 Promote the confirmation and implementation of multilateral treaties on transnational
organized crime, including the Palermo Convention and its Protocols, by raising the level of political commitment and forcefully
combating this scourge through the adoption and implementation of national legislation and regional mechanisms.
16 Take note of the Program of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for
the Reinforcement of the Plan of Action of the Security Strategy for Central America and Mexico.
17 Hail the results of the Top Level Segment of the 52nd Drug Commission held in March 2009 in Vienna,
Austria, within whose framework the Political Declaration and Plan of Action was approved, within which new challenges, future
priorities, goals and objectives have been identified that should be continued in the fight against the world drug problem
beyond 2009. Within this context, we agreed to study the omnibus resolution: International Cooperation against the world drug
problem that Mexico will present during the 64th Ordinary Period of Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly.
18 Welcome the process carried out by the Group of Government Experts nominated
by the United Nations General Secretary to determine the scope and characteristics of the future Arms Trade Treaty (ATT),
the drafting of which involved the participation of various member countries in the Tuxtla mechanism. Pledge our efforts to
promote the issue within the framework of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in order to have a legally binding
instrument that will regulate the transfer of arms from an ethical perspective of respect for Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law.
19 Hail the so-called Oslo Process that negotiated
the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The negotiation and signing of this instrument in December 2008 by over ninety countries
constituted a great step towards the prescription of these weapons with indiscriminate effects that cause unacceptable damage
to the civil population. On the basis of this, to urge all states to sign and/or confirm this Convention shortly, in order
for this instrument to come into effect as soon as possible.
20 Confirm
our support for the negotiations of a Partnership Agreement that includes the pillars of Political, Cooperation and Trade
Dialogue between the European Union and Central America will conclude satisfactorily and as soon as possible.
21 Welcome the incorporation of the Dominican Republic and Colombia as full members
of the Tuxtla Mechanism.
II Issues concerning the
Mesoamerican Integration and Development Project (PM)
22 Welcome
the report presented by the Executive Commission, corresponding to the period from 2008-2009, which illustrates the progress
recorded within the framework of the Mesomerican Integration and Development Project (PM) and points out the actions, programs
and projects underway, as well as the initiatives presented that are being prepared or designed. In this respect, we wish
to hail the efforts of the national authorities and government officials responsible for the projects supported by the PM.
23 Particularly to recognize the technical and financial support provided by the
PM programs, projects and activities and the international organizations comprising the Interinstitutional Technical Group:
IBD, BCIE, CAF, CEPAL, SGSICA and SIECA. We also thank the other organizations within the Central American System of Integration
for their collaboration.
24 Urge the Executive Commission to
increase its efforts to provide PM with management instruments, incorporating into its portfolio of projects baselines and
progress indicators that will facilitate the follow-up and monitoring of its activities and a working plan to this effect.
25 Highlight the importance of incorporating the Ministries of Finance into PM’s
permanent structures, in order to reinforce the link between the regional initiatives sponsored by the Project and any relevant
national budgetary planning.
26 Instruct the Executive Commission
and the corresponding national and regional authorities to implement the actions derived from the report submitted at this
Summit.
27 Adopt as a regional priority the program for the
Acceleration of the Pacific Corridor of the International Network of Mesoamerican Highways (RICAM) and plan the technical
and budgetary programming for investments and attention to the harmonization of norms regarding weights and dimensions and
road security that correspond to each country to complete them in the shortest time possible. This program is coordinated
by Costa Rica.
28 Undertake the necessary feasibility study
and diagnosis of port infrastructure and services for the implementation of Short Distance Maritime Transport in Mesoamerica.
This project is coordinated by Panama, with the support of the Central American Commission for Maritime Transport (COCATRAM).
29 Speed up the paperwork to complete the purchase of the highway rights that will
make it possible to complete the installation of the SIEPAC infrastructure within the established time limits.
30 Urge the countries that have not yet done so to complete their internal procedures
in order to enable the Second Protocol for the Framework Treaty of the Regional Electric Market (MER), essential for the system
to be able to operate in 2010, to come into force.
31 Develop
complementary infrastructure projects that will reinforce the interconnection of the Regional Electric Market with the Mexican
electric system. Highlight the conclusion of the electric infrastructure between Mexico and Guatemala and promote its use.
32 Advance towards the Panama-Colombia electric interconnection
by acknowledging the start of operations of the ICP firm (Colombia-Panama Interconnection) and establish a binational office
to coordinate the Project, which constitutes a fundamental step in the interconnection.
33 Consolidate the Mesoamerican Network of Fuel Research and Development to contribute to energy and food
security in the region and hail the advances of the Mesoamerican Fuel Program, particularly the installment of two pilot plants
for the production of biofuel in El Salvador and Honduras and the progress of work in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and Panama.
34 Consolidate the necessary efforts for the functioning of the Mesoamerican Information
Highway (AMI), a program coordinated by El Salvador, in order to: (i) implement the harmonized regional regulatory framework;
(ii) define the administration and operating model for the capacity for use governments will have in this network; (iii) design
a regional strategy that will encourage the viability of the reduction of long distance inter-regional and roaming tariffs.
35 Extend, in the short term, the application of the Mesoamerican Procedure for
the International Shipping of Merchandise (TIM) to the entire Pacific Corridor in the RICAM and in the future, all the land
and sea transport operations in the region, with the support of SIECA.
36
Promote the generation of Mesoamerican Competitiveness Indicators as well as their periodic updating and dissemination
in national governments to contribute to the drafting of public policies that will help boost regional competitiveness.
37 Promote the implementation of specific programs, projects and activities that
will help increase the participation of small and medium businesses in the region's foreign trade.
38 Consolidate the Master Plan for the four initial components of intervention for the development of
the Mesoamerican Public Health System for its implementation as from 2010. In this respect, we congratulate the Ministers
of Health and the academic institutions of Mexico, Central America and Colombia for creating the Mesoamerican Public Health
Institute. We also thank COMISCA for its support in developing the system.
39
Implement the actions required for structuring the Mesoamerican Program of Environmental Sustainability within the
framework of the Mesoamerican Strategy for Environmental Sustainability (EMSA) and in the short term, to implement regional
projects within the areas of cooperation of the latter: biodiversity and forests, climate change and environmental competitiveness.
40 Support the coordination and development of regional projects regarding Climate
Change, mainly as regards adaptation, promoting the management of international financial resources. In this context, seek
points in common between the positions of countries regarding the negotiations carried out within the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (CMNUCC).
41 Adopt the platform
and obtain the necessary resources for the operation and sustainability of the Mesoamerican System of Territorial Information
for the Reduction of Risks from Natural Disasters (SMIT). This project is led by the Center for Water in the Humid Tropics
for Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) with the participation of the Civil Protection Offices and Geographical Institutes
of the region.
42 Advance towards the implementation of the
Social Housing Program in Central America, initially coordinated and financed by the Government of Mexico with resources from
the San José Agreement and implemented by BCIE. Acknowledge the progress in the design of the Program, which has been carried
out in keeping with the Central American Strategy of for Housing and Human Settlements.
43 Welcome the signing of the document institutionalizing the Mesoamerican Integration and Development
Project.
III Economic, Commercial and Financial Issues.
44 Repeat that economic integration is the path towards increasing the competitiveness
of the countries in the region and therefore congratulate ourselves on the start of the negotiating process for achieving
convergence between the Free Trade Agreements between Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico.
We also confirmed our commitment to ensuring that, as far as possible, this effort will be completed on schedule.
45 Hail the progress achieved in the negotiations for a CA-EU Partnership Agreement.
In this respect, we pledge to work together in a mechanism for the accumulation of origin, which will permit greater trade
and integration between Central America, the European Union and Mexico.
46
Confirm our commitment to the Latin American Pacific Rim as a space for dialogue and convergence that will help achieve
more effective and fruitful links between our countries and between the later and the Asia-Pacific countries, in addition
to being a forum that will make it possible to offer better living conditions for our nations, by promoting and reinforcing
trade, investment and cooperation in every sphere, seeking to benefit micro, small and medium businesses through the identification
of concrete actions that will permit their growth and consolidation.
47
In this respect, instruct the Chancellors and Ministers of Trade to continue promoting actions that will lead to the
expansion of the existing relationship between participating countries and those in the Asian Pacific Rim. We also hail the
Mexican government’s decision to hold the 5th Ministerial Meeting of the Pacific Rim in Oaxaca on November 23 and 24.
48 Repeat the need to achieve a broad, ambitious, balanced
result at the Doha Round that will meet the interests of developing countries. The conclusion of these negotiations will contribute
to the world's economic recovery and expand the benefits of the multilateral trade system. We therefore confirm the importance
of achieving significant access to markets, particularly for the products and services of interest to developing countries;
the elimination of internal aid to agriculture provided by developing countries, which distorts international trade and the
fulfillment of the commitment to eliminate subsidies on exports, as well as all kinds of tariff barriers inconsistent with
inconsistent with the commitments in multilateral agreements to contribute to the reinforcement of the norms of the World
Trade Organization (WTO).
49 Celebrate the results of the Ministerial
Meetings on Roads to Prosperity in the Americas, held in Panama City and San Salvador where it was agreed, among other things
to ensure that the benefits of development are widely distributed among the population, boost access to education, health
and good practices, including mechanisms for participation in civil society and highlight the designation of Costa Rica and
the Dominican Republic as the coordinators of the new two Ministerial Meetings.
IV Cooperation Issues
50 Highlight the final
results of the implementation of the 2007-2008 Mesoamerican Cooperation Program that highlights actions in the areas of the
environment, education, health and tourism. These constituted a valuable contribution to the strengthening of the technical
capacities of the beneficiaries of the countries participating in this Program.
51 Hail the efforts made by the governments of the countries belonging to the Tuxtla Mechanism and the
various participating institutions to identify and subsequently implement the actions of the 2009-2010 Mesoamerican Cooperation
Program, despite the emergence of influenza. This new edition of the program initially identified 11 projects, proposed six
initiatives and there is a possibility of proposing new projects for this period in order to expand and deepen Mesoamerican
cooperation.
52 Confirm the interest of Education Secretaries
in the various initiatives put forward in the Mesomerican Cooperation Program, since they constitute an accurate demonstration
of the joint efforts carried out in this sphere, oriented toward artistic and intercultural education, educational and integral
access and attention for children with special, different educational needs as well as for indigenous children, among others.
53 Hail the Mexican Public Education Secretariat's announcement that it will offer
countries within the System of Central American Integration (SICA) up to 100 graduate level university mobility grants, an
unprecedented initiative that will raise the quality and competitiveness of the region's public institutes of higher education.
Thank the Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretariat for continuing the grant programs it offers countries in the region which in
2009, enabled 115 students to pursue their studies at Mexican universities.
54
Hail the start of the following projects: Mesoamerican Network of Biotic Resources; Climatic Perspectives in Mesoamerica
and its applications; Water Basin Management; and Reinforcement of the Normative Framework for the Establishment of Criteria
to Ensure Food and Agriculture Innocuousness. It is worth noting that within this framework and at this stage of the Program
alone, the participation of 68 specialists from various Central American countries was achieved, together with 39 from Mexico.
55 Reaffirm our interest in approving projects that affect the areas of tourism,
agriculture, disasters of natural origin, education and culture, health and the environment.
56 Underline the interest and willingness of our countries to collaborate in projects in the health sector
derived from joint work between Mexico and SICA, seeking complementarities with initiatives in the Mesoamerican Public Health
System.
57 Reaffirm our interest in coordinating and implementing
cooperation actions as well as facilitating the exchange of experiences and information as regards the prevention, mitigation
and fighting of influenza caused by the Virus A (H1N1) virus that has seriously affected our countries. Stress the advisability
of identifying joint actins to adopt public health policies to respond to the AH1N1 flu epidemic, based on the respect for
people's rights and scientific evidence, in order to avoid unnecessary obstacles to economic activity and the circulation
of persons and goods between countries and stop the large-scale spread of disease in our countries.
58 Continue promoting coordinated actions to cope with the food crisis in order to guarantee the security
of the most vulnerable populations in our countries. Within this context, instruct the appropriate national and regional organizations
to design an initiative in this respect and organize the necessary cooperation to promote its rapid development.
59 Instruct the corresponding institutions in our respective countries to support
the formulation and implementation of projects that will contribute to the sustainable and rational use of natural resources,
particularly in the water sector, on the basis of complementary efforts between governments and the respective national and
regional entities.
60 Stress the commitment to seek new sources
of financing to expand and reinforce the Mesoamerican Cooperation Program.
61
Urge the international community to continue promoting cooperation for development with Middle-Income Countries and
ensure compliance with the commitments adopted at the Ministerial Conferences in El Salvador and Namibia, including the implementation
of the Resolution adopted by the United Nations' 63rd General Assembly and the forthcoming design of the Plan of Action.
V Regional and Multilateral Issues
62 Agree that the strengthening and expansion of the Rio Group membership as well as the accredited international
presence and political interlocution that define it place it in a privileged position for dialogue and agreement between Latin
American and Caribbean countries. Therefore redouble efforts to guarantee the success of the 21st Summit of the Mechanism
to be held in Mexico in 2010.
63 Confirm our concern over the
serious threat posed by climate change to the sustainable development of our nations. In this respect, pledge to collaborate
closely within the sphere of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol to adopt a global,
just, effective regime in the matter in 2009, bearing in mind the principal of shared but different responsibilities.
64 Underline the urgent need to expand the scale of available resources for the
countries prepared to commit to the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change and in this context, to recall the proposal
of the Mexican government to create a World Fund for Climate Change (Green Fund) and the Costa Rica Peace with Nature Initiative
as elements to be considered as part of the current negotiations within the Bali Plan of Action.
65 Confirm our responsibility to the promotion and effective promotion of human rights and express our
countries’ commitment to continuing to strengthen and improve the Inter-American System of Human Rights with the aim
of implementing actions designed to ensure their universalization, compliance with decisions by the International Court of
Human Rights, the improvement of victims' access to the system and the proper financing of their organizations.
66 Highlight the importance of providing special care for youth within the framework
of public policies as a transversal element for achieving integral social development. In this respect, support the Mexican
government’s initiative to organize a United Nations Conference on Youth in August 2010.
VI Current Issues
67 Welcome the United
Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its effects on Development, held from June 24 to 26 2009
in New York. At the same time, underline the importance of the deliberations and decisions of this Conference designed to
clarify the causes of this crisis, its powerful impact on developing countries and the identification of short and long term
measures that will help offset its effects on the most vulnerable populations. Likewise, repeat our interest in ensuring that
the international financial system operates with transparent bases in keeping with the law.
68 Acknowledge the work carried out by the region to cope with the flu pandemic, under the auspices of
the World Health Organization and the Panamerican Health Organization, which have implemented effective monitoring and notification
systems that helped reduce the spread of this virus from an early stage.
69
Repeat the importance of solidarity and international cooperation in coping with international health emergencies and
repeat our commitment to continue strengthening cooperation links for the benefit of world public health.
70 Recognize the importance of cooperating in the prevention and detection of the
illicit trafficking of the cultural assets of our countries and the significance of making efforts to repatriate these goods
to their countries of origin.
71 Highlight the need to coordinate
actions to achieve training and the exchange of experiences in conservation and the detection of the illicit trafficking of
cultural patrimony to defend the strengthening of the identity of our peoples.
72 Since Colombia is only part of the Mesoamerican Integration and Development Project, it only signs
section II of this declaration.
73 Lastly, agree to hold the
12th Summit of the Tuxtla Mechanism of Dialogue and Agreement in Colombia in 2010 and the 13th in Panama in 2011.
We
would like to thank the people and government of Costa Rica for their attention and hospitality during our stay in Guanacaste,
Costa Rica.
Signed in the Province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica on July 29, 2009.
Oscar Arias Sánchez,
President of Costa Rica
Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of Mexico
Mauricio Funes Cartagena, President of El Salvador
Álvaro
Colom Caballero, President of Guatemala
Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, President of Panama
Álvaro Uribe Vélez, President
of Colombia
Gaspar Vega, Vice Prime Minister of Belize
Rafael Alburquerque, Vice President of Dominican Republic
Arístides
Mejía, Representative of President of Honduras, José Manuel Zelaya Rosales
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Guanacaste, Costa Rica, July 30 Press Release;
Presidency of the Republic (Mexico), Mexico City; translation Presidency of the Republic
