Georgetown : The Sixth Summit of the Americas culminated with leaders of Member States committing to integrate physical infrastructure in the Americas, promote access to information communication technology, and fight poverty, inequality, inequity and transnational organised crime.
Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar made his debut at the Summit which began on April 14 on Cartagena, Columbia under the theme, “Connecting the Americas: Partners for Prosperity."
The leaders agreed that the further development of physical infrastructure projects at the national, sub-regional, and regional levels will contribute to sustainable development, social inclusion, and increased trade.
They highlighted the importance of exchanging experiences and the participation of public and private sectors as important prerequisites.
Financing mechanisms are to be examined with a view to encouraging and strengthening the further involvement of national, sub-regional, regional, and international financial institutions, and that of the private sector, in projects to promote physical integration of the Americas. The leaders agreed to approach poverty, inequality, and inequity with interventions to protect children from economic exploitation and tasks that may interfere with their education and integral development.
They identified public policies that promote productive work, sustained economic growth, and access to comprehensive and quality education, health care, and housing as initiatives to combat poverty, hunger, inequality, inequity, and social exclusion in the Americas. There was also a reaffirmation to support the objectives set out in the Declaration of the Decade of the Americas for the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities (2006-2016) and its Plan of Action, by promoting equal opportunity and nondiscrimination of persons with disabilities.
Equity in affordable access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) was also highlighted and through collaboration between the public and private sectors, social actors and communities the leaders believe that such can be accomplished.
They agreed to improve citizens’ security and tackle transnational organised crime through bilateral, sub-regional, regional, and international cooperation and institutional strengthening.
Factors leading to violence and the promotion of peaceful coexistence, the resolution of disputes among citizens, especially youths and other vulnerable groups, the leaders agreed to address. There was consensus on strengthen the administration of public security by governmental agencies through promotion of citizen and community participation, institutional coordination, and training and education of civilian and police personnel, with full respect for the rule of law, domestic law, gender equality, and human rights.
Strengthening efforts to prevent and fight the smuggling of migrants and trafficking of persons, particularly of women, children and adolescents, and to promote cooperation among states was also agreed.
Disaster risk management was regarded a priority in national public policies and development strategies. In this regard, the leaders highlighted the need for resources designed for financial protection strategies aimed at mitigating the social, economic, and environmental impact of disasters.
In Photo : US President Barack Obama chats with President Donald Ramotar, Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit and Jamaica’s Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller during a walk at the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Columbia
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