BUDGETARY STATEMENT
Delegation of Colombia
Secretariat for Administration and Finance
19th Regular Session, 2015
GA/BS (_______) (XIX-O/15)
Secretariat for Administration and Finance (SAF)
Budgetary Statement
Republic of Colombia
Budgetary Statement by the Delegation of Colombia
The Delegation of Colombia is honored to represent the citizens and government of
Colombia and the concerns dearest to them. The Delegation is devoted to constructing
innovative solutions to the issues currently plaguing the member states of the OAS.
Issues such as wealth distribution, eradication of poverty, sharing and allocating of water
sources, security, and protection stand as obstacles for both the OAS and the Delegation
of Colombia. As a signatory on the OAS charter, the Delegation of Colombia fully
endorses those values upheld by the OAS in the charter in chapter VII, article 34. With
that being said the Delegation of Colombia has submitted seven resolutions committed to
improving the lives of citizens in all member states while maintaining democracy. In
addition, the sovereignty of each member state will remain intact as we work together to
combat the issues afflicting all member states.
The Secretariat for Administration and Finance of the Republic of Colombia is
prepared to find unique, creative funding solutions to sponsor the life-changing
resolutions proposed by both the Delegation of Colombia and the other member states of
the OAS. The Republic of Colombia is fully aware of the limited funding provided by the
OAS budget and urges member states to allocate those funds to resolutions dedicated to
improving the lives of the citizens of all member states within the OAS. With that the
Delegation of Colombia believes that resolutions prioritizing proper allocations of wealth
distribution, eradication of poverty through sustainable development, sharing and
allocating water resources, security for all people in all member states, and protection for
those people groups that cannot protect themselves should be held at the forefront. And
those resolutions should be approved by the Secretariat for Administration and Finance
for the 2015 budget year.
Resolution 1 (General Committee): DECREASING THE INEQUALITY OF
WEALTH DISTRIBUTION BY ELIMINATING THE ABSENCE OF HUMAN
SECURITY
This resolution seeks to eradicate poverty using a multifaceted approach that
increases security, improves education, increases sustainable agriculture, and provides
jobs for those impoverished. This resolution increases security by employing a stronger
security force within each member state for the protection of all people within the
member state. In addition, this resolution creates a pilot program devoted to improving
education by building improved educational facilities and hiring qualified instructors to
teach in these facilities. The resolution addresses sustainable agriculture by adopting
agrarian reform used in the 1950’s that redistributes unused land to impoverished people
for cultivation and domestic agriculture production. The pilot program includes a pilot
committee to oversee the logistics and evaluate the success of the program. Within the
pilot committee will be a sector for training and educating impoverished people dedicated
to breaking the poverty cycle.
The OAS charter states that in Chapter I, Article 2, subsection g it is essential “to
eradicate extreme poverty, which constitutes an obstacle to the full democratic
development of the peoples of the hemisphere.” The Delegation of Colombia believes
this resolution seeks to eradicate extreme poverty within member states and, therefore,
should be seen as a budgetary priority for the 2015 fiscal year. In addition, the Delegation
of Colombia urges all member states, having seen the numerous benefits this resolution
has to offer, to approve this resolution by the Secretariat for Administration and Finance
for the 2015 budget year.
Resolution 2 (Executive Secretariat for Integral Development): IMPROVING
WATER QUALITY THROUGH A DECREASE IN DEFORESTATION
This resolution seeks to improve the quality of water through implementation of
sustainable silvopastoral systems in cattle ranching. This will create richer more
productive pastures and the need for less pastureland. In addition, this resolution
drastically reduces irresponsible deforestation that adds sediments and pollutants to the
water. Lastly, this resolutions incentivizes ranchers and farmers to cooperate with the
new systems put into place by offering loans paid back in part by Non-governmental
Organizations and environmental firms.
The Delegation of Colombia is seeking to fund this resolution through
cooperation with El Federacion Colombiana de Ganaderos (FEDEGAN), The Nature
Conservancy, and various Non-governmental organizations including but not limited to:
the Center for Research on Sustainable Farming Systems (CIPAV), the Global
Environment Facility (GEF), & the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The funding will consist of voluntary donations toward the future of sustainable water
from the aforementioned organizations, other member states and observer states. In
addition, the investment opportunity is open to all interested parties.
This resolution is in direct accordance with the OAS Charter, chapter VII, article
34 which supports initiatives that lead to equitable and efficient land-tenure systems,
increased agricultural productivity, and expanded use of land. Considering the minute
amount of funds requested from the OAS budget in conjunction with the unique stride
this resolution makes toward improving water quality for all member states, the
Delegation of Colombia recommends this resolution be a budgetary priority for the 2015
fiscal year, and be approved by the Secretariat for Administration and Finance for the
2015 budget year.
Resolution 3 (Executive Secretariat for Integral Development): INCREASING THE
EDUCATION RATES TO HELP BREAK THE POVERTY CYCLE
This resolution creates a pilot program that makes school a year round
occurrence, but only requires that children attend for a half a day so as to allow them to
help their families with labor at home the other half of the day. The program seeks to
raise educational standards, and reduce the amount of money spent on students who
consistently repeat grades by only allowing a student to repeat each grade once. In
addition, this resolution offers incentives for students to stay in school through the age of
fourteen. Incentives include sustainment packages, monetary stipends for access to
educational facilities, and reduced cost health insurance for children that remain in
school. This resolution will improve the lives of children in every member state. Children
are the next generation to come, and raising a strong, educated generation means a bright
future will lie ahead. This resolution is an innovative solution that solves the educational
dilemma in Latin America, and will make strides of progress for each member affected.
The OAS stands firm behind “rapid eradication of illiteracy and expansion of educational
opportunities for all” in the charter, chapter VII, article 34, subsection h. This resolution
works to eradicate illiteracy and expand education for every member state and, therefore,
should be a budgetary priority of the OAS for the 2015 fiscal year.
This program will be funded by United States Agency for International
Development and other non-governmental organizations. In addition, textbooks and other
reading books will be provided to the schools from the American Library Association. As
no funds are required from the OAS to support this resolution, the Delegation of
Colombia recommends the resolution be approved by the Secretariat for Administration
and Finance for the 2015 budget year.
Resolution 4 (Secretariat for Multidimensional Security) UNITED EFFORT
AGAINST CYBER TERRORISM
This resolution takes steps to address the serious problems and negative economic
effects in particular that cyber terrorism can have on member states and their citizens.
The very nature of this threat is different from conventional security threats facing
member states, and this delegation strongly believes that international cooperation is
necessary to effectively address this issue. The Delegation of Colombia believes that
amending chapter 6 article 29 of the OAS charter to include cyber terrorism and attacks,
as situations that threatens the peace of the American States is necessary in order for the
OAS to combat this problem that plagues member states in this modern day and age.
Multilateral cooperation is paramount in solving issues of this nature and is the
corner stone of this organization and that is why the Delegation of Colombia has
proposed a summit to be held to come together to not only discuss policy but to also
propose a method in which to help citizens of effected member states. Colombia has been
advocating for the creation of an effective cyber defense policy since early 2007 and has
worked with the Organization of American States through the Inter-American Committee
against Terrorism by organizing a committee hearing on cyber defense preparedness in
May 2008. The Delegation of Colombia plans to continue to advocate for this just cause
and continue to work with the OAS through hosting this summit to battle against cyber
terrorism in the hemisphere. This summit will get its funding from NGO’s and Non-Profit
Organizations.
Resolution 5 (Secretariat for Multidimensional Security) UPDATING THE RIO
TREATY TO DEAL WITH BOARDER CONFLICTS AND PROTECT THOSE
AFFECTED BY THEM
This resolution’s purpose is to give a much needed update to the Rio treaty in
order for member states to combat current modern intra-continental conflicts that threaten
the hemisphere. The Delegation of Colombia believes the hemisphere is posed with a
crisis that affects its peace and security that the Rio treaty in its current form is
unequipped to address. The Delegation of Colombia believes that by updating the treaty
to include border conflicts as a present threat the Organization of American States will
ensure the protection of effected member states and avoid conflicts that could divide the
hemisphere. The Delegation of Colombia strongly encourages member states to help
avoid division by cooperating multilaterally when a border crisis is present in the
hemisphere.
The Delegation of Colombia believes that the Rio treaty is still massively
important to hemispheric security, and hopes that with this update in order to address
modern issues, that member states that have recently abandoned it will recommit in order
to preserve the hemisphere. The Delegation of Colombia also hopes to work with UN
High Commissioner for Refugees and get funding from the OAS Peace Fund if any is
necessary. The Delegation of Colombia does not believe that this change will require
much funding if any at all.
Resolution 6 (Secretariat for Political Affairs) RETURNING HOME: A
VOLUNTARY REPATRIATION PROGRAM
This resolution’s purpose is to address and aid the large amount of refugees and
internally displaced persons in the Hemisphere. At the end of 2014, Latin America was
faced with over 400,000 refugees and over 6,000,000 internally displaced persons. The
Delegation of Colombia believes the best way of solving this hemispheric problem is by
helping theses displaced individuals return home. All too often, refugees and internally
displaced persons are forced into areas that are ill-equipped to help them and
unsympathetic to their culture. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR) has laid out a broad plan that can be refined to be more suited towards the
Americas and its people.
The Delegation of Colombia plans to receive funding for this resolution via the
UNHCR and associated programs as well as Non-Governmental Organizations and
partnering organizations that deal with the well-being of Internally Displaced Persons and
Refugees. The Delegation of Colombia also urges fellow member states to internally
allocate, under their own discretion, funds to aid in helping refugees and internally
displaced persons.
This Resolution is in direct accordance with the Organization of American States
and its “dedication towards the establishment of guidelines for the improvement of the
lives of their people” as stated in Article 34 of the OAS Charter.
Resolution 7 (Secretariat for Political Affairs) ESTABLISING HEMISHERIC
STADARDS FOR PRISONER RIGHTS AND PRISONER CONDITIONS
This resolution hopes to aid in the continued effort to protect the basic human
rights of prisoners and assist in establishing standards for prison conditions. This
Resolution is driven by the UN’s Mandela Rules specifically (E/CN.15/2015/L.6/Rev.1)
which states
“Every prisoner shall be provided by the administration at the usual hours with food of
nutritional value adequate for health and strength, of wholesome quality and well
prepared and served. All parts of an institution regularly used by prisoners shall be
properly maintained and kept scrupulously clean at all times. Adequate bathing and
shower installations shall be provided so that every prisoner may be enabled and required
to have a bath or shower, at a temperature suitable to the climate, as frequently as
necessary for general hygiene" The Delegation of Colombia believes that the protection
of these basic human rights and necessities is so important that it aims through this
resolution to standardize heavy sanctions and fines to prisons, prison guards and member
states where these conditions are not met.
The Delegation of Colombia does not believe that there will be any
necessary funding for the implementation of this resolution and if any funding is at any
time necessary the Delegation of Colombia will rely on NGO’s and Non-Profit
Organizations for aid.