OAS Meet to Heed TI Recommendations

The Organization of American States (OAS) in its 40th General Assembly in Lima is understood to have taken into consideration the recommendations by Transparency International (TI) to improve transparency and accountability in the region. The meet which is attended by representatives from the 33 member states is inaugurated by President of Peru Alan Garcia and the OAS General Secretary José Miguel Insulza.

The TI earlier had presented series of detailed recommendations to curb humanitarian issues including corruption and social asymmetries. In its recent press release it had appealed the OAS member states to urgently implement anti-corruption laws to ensure peace, security and sustainable development of the region.

According to Transparency International (TI), the anti-corruption organisation, despite the OAS being the first regional organization to adopt a convention against corruption in 1996, TI monitoring reports show there are serious gaps in its implementation. Although Insulza and other participants were able to identify the issues, it is not sure how the General Assembly – "Peace, Security and Cooperation" would translate them into meaningful action.

The Secretary General Insulza acknowledged "in Latin America there are too many poor, and we have important levels of inequality; but most Afro-descendants are poor, most indigenous citizens are poor, an important number of households headed by women are poor, and 80 percent of the disabled are poor. Therefore, poverty and inequality in our region have colour, gender and condition. It's a reality. That is why we place such strong emphasis on the relationship between discrimination and human rights and also between discrimination and socio-economic problems."

Latin America and the Caribbean have the highest income inequality worldwide, with five of the ten most unequal countries in the world located in the region. The two-day meet is believed to have reached an agreement on broad-based involvement from private business entities along with governments to promote democracy, social equality and responsibility, and the fight against crime.

By Jose Roy