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<html> <head> <meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8"> <meta name="DATE" content="0/0/0"> <title>MANLEY ANNOUNCES PROJECTS TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE AMERICAS</title> </head> <body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"> June 4, 2001 (2:30 p.m. EDT) No. 73 MANLEY ANNOUNCES PROJECTS TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE AMERICAS San José, Costa Rica - John Manley, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada will provide up to $540 000 for seven projects that directly support recommendations contained in the 2001 Summit of the Americas Plan of Action. Mr. Manley made the announcement in San José, Costa Rica, where he is attending the 31st General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS). At the Third Summit of the Americas, hosted by Canada in Quebec City in April, hemispheric leaders endorsed a plan of action on a series of initiatives ranging from democratic development to cultural diversity. As the host of the 2001 Summit, and as a leading proponent of many of the action items, Canada is dedicated to ensuring that the Summit Plan of Action is implemented. "These projects are concrete demonstrations of Canada's commitment to the Summit's Plan of Action and to promoting peace and democracy in our hemisphere," said Minister Manley. "They support Summit commitments to serve the real interests of the people of the hemisphere and lead to real improvements in their quality of life and standard of living." The projects to be funded are: a $50 000 contribution to both the OAS Peace Fund and the Strengthening Democracy Fund; $45 000 to the Justice Studies Center of the Americas; $100 000 to promote corporate social responsibility in the hemisphere; $50 000 toward the establishment of a follow-up mechanism to the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption; $75 000 to the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy for work on improving the way elections are held; $139 000 to build a network of national human rights institutions in the Americas; and $31 000 to facilitate a roundtable for citizens' groups. Funding for today's contribution was provided for in the February 2000 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. The OAS is the premier political forum for multilateral dialogue and decision making in the Americas. Foreign ministers from the 34 OAS member states are meeting in San José, Costa Rica, to discuss the promotion and protection of democracy, human rights and implementation of commitments made by hemispheric leaders at the 2001 Summit of the Americas. - 30 - A backgrounder is attached. For further information, media representatives may contact: Sanjeev Chowdhury Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (613) 995-1851 Media Relations Office Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (613) 995-1874 Backgrounder HUMAN SECURITY PROGRAMS AT THE OAS The seven projects announced by Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley respond to commitments in the Plan of Action adopted at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City and are a practical demonstration of Canada's commitment to the hemisphere. The initiatives are intended to strengthen democracy, encourage judicial reform and reduce corruption in the Americas. OAS Peace Fund and Strengthening Democracy Fund Canada is contributing $50 000 to the OAS Peace Fund and $50 000 to the OAS Strengthening Democracy Fund. Both funds were established at the 2000 Windsor General Assembly. The goal of the Peace Fund is to assist in the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes; the goal of the Strengthening Democracy Fund is to preserve, strengthen and consolidate representative democracy in the hemisphere. Justice Studies Center of the Americas Canada is contributing $45 000 to the Santiago-based Justice Studies Center of the Americas, whose creation was mandated by the 1998 Santiago Summit to support judicial reform in the hemisphere. The funds will be put toward designing and implementing an electronic information system that will provide extensive information about the operation of the region's judicial systems and a place for virtual encounters between the parties interested in this sector. Corporate Social Responsibility In the Summit of the Americas Plan of Action, Canada proposed a hemispheric meeting to be held under the auspices of the OAS before the end of 2001. Canada's contribution of $100 000 will ensure that as many voices as possible are heard from governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector on issues that centre on the corporate social responsibility agenda, such as human rights, labour and environmental standards. Inter-American Convention Against Corruption The Inter-American Convention Against Corruption was adopted March 29, 1996 in Caracas, Venezuela. The Convention contains a list of "acts of corruption" that parties must establish as criminal offences including, the solicitation or acceptance of a bribe by a public official and the offering or granting of a bribe to a public official. Canada's contribution of $50 000 will go toward the development of a follow-up mechanism that will help ensure the effective implementation of the Convention. Unit for the Promotion of Democracy The $75 000 commitment to the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy will be used to support a seminar on improving the way elections are held. Scheduled for the fall of 2001, the seminar will examine issues such as political party registration, political party access to media and funding, campaign financing, oversight and dissemination of election results, and transparency and accountability in electoral systems. Network of National Human Rights Institutions Canada is contributing $139 000 to the Network of National Institutions for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights of the Americas. Using new technologies, the goal of the network is to share information, increase person contacts between human rights commissioners and ombudsmen, and enhance contacts among the agencies and institutions responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights in the hemisphere. NGO Forum on Strengthening the Inter-American Human Rights System The San José based Inter-American Institute of Human Rights has organized an event involving 100 non-governmental organizations from throughout the hemisphere that will run parallel to the General Assembly (June 3 to 5). Representatives from the NGOs will hold a roundtable discussion on Sunday, June 3 on measures to promote and protect human rights in the inter-American system. Canada is contributing $31 000 to support the roundtable and to ensure the participation of 12 NGOs from throughout the hemisphere, including Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Venezuela. </body> </html>

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