EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS
Leaders of the Americas (and their spouses) have been meeting together on a regular basis at various Summits to set social, political and economic agendas for the hemisphere and to guide the actions of international organizations in support of their mandates. Summits represent an opportunity to foster strong hemispheric partnerships, encourage the advancement of mutual goals, such as peace, democracy, economic integration, social justice and poverty eradication. Over the last decade, the various summit processes have taken on an increased momentum and importance in the hemisphere, affecting not only the way countries do business in the Region, but also how the international community and international organizations such as PAHO respond to their mandates in terms of programming, partnerships and resource mobilization efforts. An important role for PAHO has been the promotion of a strong health component in the agendas of the Summit of the Americas, the Ibero-American Summit and the First Ladies Summit.
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Summit of the Americas |
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Ibero-American Summit |
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First Ladies Summit |
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Summit of the Americas
Leaders of the Americas have worked together since the 1994 Miami Summit, in setting social, political and economic agendas for the hemisphere and in guiding the actions of international organizations in support of their mandates. Summits represent an opportunity to foster strong hemispheric partnerships, encourage the advancement of mutual goals, such as peace, democracy, economic integration, social justice and poverty eradication. By taking a multi-sectoral approach to dealing with a wide range of issues, this process brings all sectors of government together with international organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders to discuss political, economic and social issues in a holistic manner. PAHO/WHO has been involved in this process since 1994 by acting as responsible coordinator of all health related mandates. Not only does the Summit of the Americas represent an opportunity to highlight the importance of health in the Region, but PAHO/WHO's profile is also heightened through participation, which in turn increases its effectiveness in achieving the goals of the member states. The clear mandates that have emerged from the Summits of the Americas have not represented additional initiatives and responsibilities for PAHO/WHO since they are at the core of the work emanating from PAHO/WHO's Governing Bodies. The Summit has also proven itself to be a useful vehicle for resource mobilization. Over $60 million in grants have been mobilized from the international community in the implementation of health mandates of the Miami, Santiago, and Quebec Summits.
On 20-21 April 2001, the third Summit of the Americas convened in Quebec City. In the resulting 32 point Declaration, there is reference to health as well as other health related issues. Commitment is also made to attempt to reach international development goals, such as reducing the number of people who live in extreme poverty by 50% by the year 2015. Chapter 14 of the Plan of Action, entitled Health, is the result of a long process of negotiations with the countries led by PAHO/WHO, and includes commitments in the areas of health sector reform, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and connectivity. HIV/AIDS was the chief health issue, in terms of its placement in the Declaration, the Plan of Action and in leader's speeches during the Summit.
The next Summit of the Americas will take place in Argentina to coincide with the finalization of the FTAA in 2005.
To learn more about the Summit process please visit the Summit of the Americas Information Network at www.summit-americas.org
Ibero-American Summit
At the beginning of the 1990s, Spain, as a part of its strategy of foreign policy and aimed at strengthening its presence in the western hemisphere, establishes the mechanism of the Summits of Heads of State and Ibero-American Governments.
The Ibero-American Summits are a political encounter space at the highest level, in which the Heads of State and Government concentrate their attention on a specific subject of interest. The first summit was carried out in the city of Guadalajara (Mexico) in 1991.
The organization of the Summit is responsible for a Secretariat Pro-Tempore that is established in the host country. This usually is a dependency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As a part of the process of consensus-building and consultation, the organization of the Ibero-American Summit includes the organization of a series of preparatory meetings of sectoral character. It is expected that these preparatory meetings issue a set of recommendations from the involved sectoral ministers, which are submitted for consideration of the presidents or heads of state during the Summit.
The process of consensus-building of the Ibero-American Summit has many openings and possibilities that, through consultation and preparation, will expand and permit the inclusion of some subjects or considerations within the work agenda of the presidents and heads of state.
First Ladies Summit
The First Ladies of Heads of State and Government Conference of the Americas took place for the first time in Venezuela in 1991. This Conference subsequently became an annual event and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has participated in the First Ladies Conferences at every meeting. The emphasis at these Conferences has always been on the important role of women in the Americas, in promoting the well being of society's most vulnerable. Education and health in particular have therefore always played a significant role on the agenda. At the 1994 meeting, which took place on the fringes of the Miami Summit of the Americas, as well as at subsequent meetings, the First Ladies took steps that have led to progress in their countries on issues such as: maternal and child mortality prevention, violence against women, eradication of measles by the year 2000, health education and the reduction of childhood illnesses.