Foreign Ministers of the Rio Group have decided on special measures aimed at strengthening and improving the Group’s proceedings, including a new mechanism that would allow the secretariat to formulate a response to any urgent regional or international matter.
The new mechanism will be implemented by the secretariat only in cases where any current or urgent regional or international matter requires action or a concerted position on the part of the Group.
In such a case, the Pro-Tempore Secretariat (PTS) will have a 12-hour period of consultation with all country members and then the required course of action on behalf of the Group will be determined, a press release from the foreign ministers group stated.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Rio Group meeting within the framework of the 19th Meeting of Heads of State and Government acknowledged the valuable consultation and political coordination carried out by the Group in its 20-year existence, as well as its significant contribution to the permanent dialogue with other regions and countries. The body also pointed out the relevance of the positions adopted by the Group in multilateral fora.
The ministers studied a special document on improving the function of the Rio Group presented by Mexico and expressed their “conviction of the importance of preserving the Rio Group as a mechanism for dialogue, consultation and political coordination in Latin America and the Caribbean. . . ”
The foreign ministers have agreed to hold meetings of Heads of State and Government every two years, without affecting the convening of extraordinary meetings, as necessary. They also decided to hold annual meetings of ministers of foreign affairs without affecting the convening of extraordinary meetings, as necessary.
They also made recommendations to prevent duplication and conflict in the respective agendas with the rotating Chairs or secretariats of other regional groups.
To reinforce the work and responsibilities of the PTS and the Rio Group Troika, the foreign ministers have agreed, based on the document presented by Mexico and the ideas and proposals put forward by Colombia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela, that the national coordinators will present a recommendation at the meeting of ministers of foreign affairs in the Dominican Republic.
