0 FIFTH MEETING OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL OEA/Ser.L./XIV.4.5 WORKING GROUP ON THE MULTILATERAL CICAD/MEM/doc.13/99 rev.1 EVALUATION MECHANISM (MEM) 17 June 1999 May 3-5, 1999 Original: Spanish Washington, D.C. REPORT OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL WORKING GROUP ON THE MULTILATERAL EVALUATION MECHANISM (MEM)
1 I. BACKGROUND The Intergovernmental Working Group on the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (IWG-MEM), during the course of its fourth meeting carried out in January 1999, agreed to hold its fifth meeting on May 3-5, 1999 in Washington, D.C. in order to examine the following issues indicated in document CICAD/MEM/doc.2/99 rev.1: indicators on the control of arms trafficking, indicators to identify the cost that the control of illicit drugs represents for the countries, the proposed reduced list of indicators for the first evaluation round and the format for the questionnaire, the process of operation and the financial costs of the MEM, as well as new indicators on demand reduction. II. PROCEEDINGS 1. MEMBER STATES OF CICAD A. PARTICIPANTS Delegates from the following countries attended the meeting of the IWG-MEM: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad y Tobago, Uruguay y Venezuela. 2. PERMANENT OBSERVER COUNTRIES Also, in attendance, as Permanent Observers to the Organization of American States, were representatives of France, Korea, Portugal, Spain, and the European Union. 3. SPECIALIZED INTER-AMERICAN ENTITIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Representatives of the following organizations also attended: Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Andean Community, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Inter-American Defense Board (IDB), European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA),
2 International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP). B. PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION The twenty-fifth regular session of CICAD was opened by Dr. Alberto Scavarelli, Principal Delegate of Uruguay, Vice-Chairman of CICAD and Chairman of the twenty-fifth regular session of CICAD, on Monday, May 3, 1999, in the Hall of the Americas of the Organization of American States (OAS). The Executive Secretary of CICAD, Mr. David Beall, intervened by giving some general guidelines for the meeting, after which the plenary constituted itself as the fifth meeting of the IWG-MEM. The IWG, chaired by Dr. Jean Fournier, Principal Delegate of Canada, began its first working session at 9:40 a.m. 1. OPENING SESSION C. ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING After the IWG-MEM had been installed, the Chair, Dr. Jean Fournier, welcomed the participants and highlighted the progress achieved in the design of the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) which will allow a first round of the evaluation to be carried out in the year 2000. This was followed by a message read by Mr. David R. Beall, Executive Secretary of CICAD from OAS Secretary General, Dr. César Gaviria, who was unable to participate in this session due to prior work commitments. 2. WORKING SESSIONS The IWG-MEM held a total of five working sessions, and addressed the points contained in the Schedule of Activities (CICAD/doc.1006/99 rev.2). The list of participants has been distributed as document CICAD/doc.1011/99 rev.2. 3. CLOSING SESSION The Working Group concluded its sessions on Wednesday May 5, 1999, at 1:30 p.m. Following the closing remarks of the Executive Secretary of CICAD and the Chair of the Group, the Fifth Meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism was adjourned.
3 D. DECISIONS ADOPTED 1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES The agenda (document CICAD/MEM/doc.2/99 rev.1) and the schedule of activities (document CICAD/doc.1006/99 rev. 2) were approved without amendments. 2. INDICATORS The Executive Secretariat presented the following documents for the consideration of the plenary: a) Matrix of indicators on the control of arms trafficking (CICAD/MEM/doc.5/99) b) Matrix of indicators to identify the cost that the control of illicit drugs represents for the countries (CICAD/MEM/doc.6/99 rev. 1). c) New indicators on demand reduction (CICAD/MEM/doc. 10/99). These documents were examined and approved with modifications proposed by the plenary. 3. PROPOSED REDUCED LIST OF INDICATORS FOR THE FIRST EVALUATION ROUND AND THE FORMAT OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE The questionnaire format proposed by the Executive Secretariat for the collection of information for the indicators in the evaluation process was approved; its simple and flexible nature was highlighted. The IWG-MEM examined the proposal of the Executive Secretariat for the list of indicators to be used in the first evaluation round, and agreed to include new indicators. The approved list consists of sixty-one indicators to be used in the evaluation process to be carried out in the year 2000. 4. OPERATIONAL PROCESS OF THE MULTILATERAL EVALUATION MECHANISM (MEM) Based on the operational flow chart of the MEM (CICAD/MEM/doc.8/99) presented in the fourth meeting and further detailed for the fifth meeting, the IWG-MEM approved the following: 4.1 Characteristics of the Governmental Experts Group (GEG) A. The Governmental Experts Group (GEG) shall consist of thirty-four experts, designated by each State. The country may also designate an alternate if it so wishes.
4 B. It was agreed that the document that approves the MEM include a general recommendation on the technical and professional level of expertise which the experts appointed by the governments should have. These experts should possess the level of representativity necessary to take timely decisions in accordance with the functions entrusted to them. C. Each State shall finance the participation of its delegate. Nevertheless, a solidarity fund will be set up to ensure the participation of those countries which, due to exceptional circumstances are unable to finance their participation. D. The GEG shall determine its own organization and operation. Among other matters, the Group shall decide on the frequency of its working meetings, the formation of ad hoc groups for the preparation of the individual reports, the election of coordinators for the group itself and for the ad hoc groups, and coordination and contact with the countries being evaluated. 4.2 Functions of the GEG The GEG shall carry out and be responsible for the individual multilateral evaluation reports and the hemispheric report: A. It shall prepare the first multilateral evaluation report draft. B. It shall prepare the final draft of the multilateral evaluation report and shall present it to the plenary of the CICAD Commission for its approval. C. The governmental expert shall not participate in the evaluation of his/her own country. 4.3 Characteristics of the Multilateral Evaluation Report A. The multilateral evaluation report of each country shall follow the thematic structure of the Anti-Drug Strategy in the Hemisphere. B. Each country shall present a document prepared by its government on the situation of the country s drug problem. The document shall illustrate the achievements made by the country, as well as the difficulties it faces and areas in which cooperation should be strengthened. It shall be simple and concise (from three to approximately eight pages) and be attached to the questionnaire. C. The multilateral evaluation report of each country shall be based on the information collected through the questionnaire, the working document
5 prepared by the Executive Secretariat, the document presented by each government and consultations carried out by the GEG with each country. D. The multilateral evaluation report shall be concise, consisting of between 15 and 20 pages. 4.4 Role of the Executive Secretariat of CICAD A. The Executive Secretariat of CICAD shall be responsible for sending out the questionnaire, and collecting the information, as well as carrying out any necessary consultations with the countries in relation to completion of the questionnaire. These consultations shall be limited to clarification of the information received, and in no way shall exercise any judgement on the content of the information. B. The Executive Secretariat shall be responsible for preparing the working document which describes the information derived from the questionnaire, in a manageable form and shall have no judgmental value on the content of the information. C. The Executive Secretariat shall be strengthened by a group of technical experts as appropriate. 5. PREPARATORY WORK ENTRUSTED TO THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT FOR THE SIXTH MEETING OF THE IWG-MEM A. Preparation of a proposal outlining requirements for the strengthening of the Executive Secretariat in order to meet new responsibilities associated with the MEM. B. Preparation of a proposal for the format of the multilateral evaluation report, using the themes contained in the Anti-Drug Strategy in the Hemisphere as a referential framework. C. Preparation of a schedule of activities to determine the frequency of GEG meetings. 6. OTHER BUSINESS The sixth meeting of the IWG-MEM will be held in Ottawa, Canada, on August 31 to September 2, 1999. It was agreed that the agenda for the next meeting would include, among other points, the above mentioned items as well as the financial cost of the mechanism.