Ambassador Glenda Morean Phillip, Permanent Representative to the OAS,
Ambassador Hector Morales, Permanent Representative of the United States to the OAS,
Ambassador Luis Alberto Rodriguez, National Coordinator and Special Envoy to the Americas,
Ms. Beverly Khan, Deputy Director of the National Secretariat for the 5th Summit of the Americas,
Representatives from OAS member states,
Mr. David Morris, Director of the Summit Secretariat of the OAS,
Dr. Riyad Insanally, OAS Country Representative in Trinidad and Tobago,
Representatives from international and regional organizations,
Staff members of the OAS,
And a very special welcome to the representatives of civil society organizations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is indeed a pleasure to join you today at the inauguration of the civil society hemispheric forum and to extend to all participants a most sincere and warm welcome to this Forum. I am particularly delighted to welcome the representatives of Civil Society Organizations, who have shown their keen interest in taking part in what I hope will be an open, frank, honest and transparent dialogue.

Allow me, at the outset, to recognize the collective efforts and collaboration of the National Secretariat of Trinidad and Tobago and the OAS Summits Secretariat, and in particular, the generous funding support received from USAID, the US State Department, the Open Society Institute, the Inter American Foundation and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which has enabled the organization of this Forum. I have no doubt that it will provide a constructive platform for dialogue and inclusiveness. Needless to say that I look forward to the continued support and engagement of these institutions and countries in the process towards the V Summit of the Americas, less then a year from now to be held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Indeed, it has been a great honor for the OAS to facilitate and provide support to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in the convening of this Civil Society Hemispheric Forum to address the theme of the Fifth Summit of the Americas: “Securing our Citizens’ Future by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability”. We believe, as does the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, that it is important to guarantee an adequate space for civil society to express their aspirations and perspectives, not only to Governments but to the public at large.

This Forum is rooted in the exercise of democracy in the public interest. As Article 6 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter states: “It is the right and responsibility of all citizens to participate in decisions relating to their own development. This is also a necessary condition for the full and effective exercise of democracy. Promoting and fostering diverse forms of participation strengthens democracy.”

The OAS leadership firmly believes in a collective and inclusive approach in making and executing policy. That is why the OAS has institutionalized mechanisms for on-going dialogue and consultation with civil society organizations. We have indeed come a long way. That is why I am here today to demonstrate this commitment and that is why I participated in mid March on several occasions in the OAS “Partnering with civil society” program in Washington DC. We not only welcome these opportunities to engage with you, but more importantly like to hear from you, listen to your views, analyses, concerns and suggestions for change. In the end, we all are in some form or fashion members of civil society at large.

We believe that this Forum is a clear example of the progress that has been made in institutionalizing the partnership between civil society and the Summits of the Americas process. I believe that this type of dialogue and the discussions and debates engendered, can only serve to enrich the work of our Governments, because governments alone cannot achieve peaceful societies, stable democracies and prosperous economies. There is a responsibility for all in society to contribute to these critical objectives. Development, peace and security issues concern all of us and therefore represent a shared and collective responsibility of all in our countries and in the Americas. In this respect, I fully expect that the presentation of diverse perspectives on the issues and challenges confronting our societies, as we approach the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April 2009, will go a long way towards informing the preparations of the host country of the Summit and indeed, of all the participating nations of the Hemisphere.

A robust dialogue over the next two days will serve as a milestone in the hemispheric commitment to put people at the centre of our preoccupations. We therefore embark upon this dialogue with the firm conviction that we need to foster open and inclusive interaction with due respect for the opinions and views of all our partners.

The proposals and recommendations that will be put forth in the course of this Forum will undoubtedly reinforce our sense of community in the Americas. We believe this is a way of shaping, with concrete actions, a Summit process that will truly reflect the preoccupations and priorities of the peoples of the Americas.

In the framework of the Summits of the Americas, the Heads of States and Government, the institutions of the Inter-American System and Civil Society Organizations are working towards the coordination of efforts to build modern, democratic States in the global economy, in order to satisfy the needs and demands of all the citizens of the Americas. The Summit Process therefore reflects a collective approach to regional governance, through the setting of common goals and a quest for a harmonized and coordinated response to the problems and challenges facing the Hemisphere.

The challenges we face today are global in nature and they affect us all. The challenges we face are enormous and some are unprecedented. They demand a coherent, strategic response. Hemispheric security, migration, human rights, environmental sustainability, food security, energy security, poverty and inequity, and democratic governance, all call for a common approach in order to achieve constructive change and progress. The Fifth Summit of the Americas will not by any means solve all these problems. But the Summit and this preparatory, consultative process should ensure that the highest elected authorities of our countries will seize upon the urgency of these challenges and make a commitment to move forward together with concrete, results-driven and people-centred actions to make a real difference in the lives of the peoples of the Americas.

I therefore say to the representatives of Civil Society gathered here in Miami: we need your voice, your energy and your conviction in order to make this happen.

In closing, I wish to recognize and express my appreciation for the commitment of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, especially the Hon. Patrick Manning for his vision for hosting the Fifth Summit of the Americas. I commend the National Secretariat of Trinidad and Tobago and in particular, its National Coordinator and Special Envoy to the Americas, Ambassador Luis Alberto Rodriguez, for their dedication to engaging in a consultative approach to framing the agenda and Declaration of Commitment of the Fifth Summit of the Americas.

This Forum is indicative of the host government’s desire to give you, the representatives of civil society, the opportunity to share your perspectives and priorities pertaining to the Summit themes. While there can be no assurances that everything expressed by participants will find its way into the final Declaration, this Forum itself is a clear demonstration of the interest and commitment of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, the Member States of the OAS and the OAS General Secretariat to engage with civil society in moving towards a successful Fifth Summit of the Americas. I am convinced that your views will be a valuable contribution to be considered in the drafting of the Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain.

Thank you.