PAHO - Millennium Development Goals

Subregions

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For the purpose of our analysis we have divided the countries of the hemisphere in four regions ( North America, Central America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, the Caribbean, and South America ) and we have further subdivided these according to the regional integration and free trade agreements that are developing in the hemisphere. This is in response to how these politico-economic regional associations harmonize their regulations, laws and economic exchanges and therefore influence their social context.

PAHO has designated 5 countries as priority for the purpose of its technical cooperation. Those countries are: Haiti, Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guyana. These countries will be highlighted in this web site to show their specific situation and needs, as well as PAHO's response in the context of the MDGs.

North America

USA, Canada, and Mexico
On January 1994, the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was established between the governments of Canada, The United States and Mexico. This agreement strengthened commercial ties between the three countries and highlighted traditional and emerging social problems, which are reflected in the Millennium Development Goals. Migration, the dynamic of ethnic minorities, and the increase in poverty and unemployment are aspects that have manifested more palpably. It is worth mentioning that Mexico is analyzed in the majority of reports within the context of Latin America.
http://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/DefaultSite/index.html

Central America & The Spanish Speaking Caribbean

On December 13th, 1991 the Tegucigalpa Protocol was signed thus creating the Central American Integration System (SICA for “Sistema de Integración Centroamericano). This all-encompassing legal and institutional integration framework for Central America was signed by Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. Belize is part of many instances acts as a Central American state and in others as a member of CARICOM.

The Dominican Republic and Cuba sometimes partake in decisions with Central American countries.

The SICA gives the responsibility of ensuring the execution of all agreements in the area of health to the Central American Health Ministers' Council (COMISCA for “ Consejo De Ministros de Salud De Centroamerica”).

The Ministers of Health of Central America and the Dominican Republic have been meeting yearly since 1956, since 1985 under the name of RESSCAD (“Reunión del Sector Salud de Centroamérica y República Dominicana”). The 2005 meeting took place in Belize. PAHO acts as technical Secretary for this meeting. There also exists a Forum of Central America and the Dominican Republic for water and sanitation (FOCARD-APS), as well as a Technical Commission for Follow-up and Evaluation (COTSE for “Comisión Técnica de Seguimiento y Evaluación”) of the health component of the Mesoamerican Initiative for Human Development under the Puebla-Panama Plan between Mexico and the Central American countries.

The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement, commonly referred to as "CAFTA", was signed late May 2004, and the Dominican Republic became an additional party to it in August 2004, hence the name "United States-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement" or US-DR-CAFTA. It is a wide-ranging agreement regulating, among other things, agriculture, telecommunications, investment, trade in services, intellectual property, and the environment.

Caribbean

Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
A t the 1972 Head of Government Conference, the Commonwealth of Caribbean Leaders decided to transform the Caribbean Free Trade Association into a Common Market and establish the Caribbean Community, of which The Common Market would be an integral part. CARICOM 's 15 members States are: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas , Barbados , Belize , Dominica , Grenada , Guyana , Haiti , Jamaica , Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. There are also 5 CARICOM Associate Members: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands. Belize is located in Central America, and Guyana and Suriname in South America, the rest are states in the Caribbean.
http://www.caricom.org/

CARICOM holds yearly meetings of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, with frequent discussions on the health of the sub-region.

The principal organs of the CARICOM are assisted by 4 entities, among them The Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), consisting of Ministers designated by the Member States. The responsibilities of the COHSOD include the promotion and improvement of health, including the development and organization of efficient and affordable health services in the Community. http://www.caricom.org/jsp/community_organs/cohsod.jsp?menu=cob

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
The OECS is a nine member grouping comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands are associate members of the OECS. These states are also members of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
http://www.oecs.org/membs.htm

The OECS holds yearly meetings of its Ministers of Health.

Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
The ACS was established in July 1994 with the aim of promoting consultation and cooperation among the countries of the Caribbean. It comprises 25 Member Sates ( Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela) and three Associate Members ( France Aruba, (on behalf of French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique) and the Netherlands Antilles). One of the topics addressed by the ACS is that of natural disasters.
http://www.acs-aec.org/index.htm

South America

Comprises the 14 countries located in this geographic area, and are divided in two groups: (1) The Andean Community of Nations and (2) MERCOSUR. It also includes states members of CARICOM.

The Ministers of Health of South America meet yearly during the REMSSU (“Reunión de Ministros de Salud de Sudamérica”).

Andean Community of Nations
Also known as Andean Pact, The Cartagena Accord was signed in 1969, and marked the first step towards the Andean Community of Nations (CAN for “Comunidad Andina de Naciones) that initiates activities as such on August of 1997. The CAN is a sub regional organization with international legal jurisdiction and is composed by Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia and the organs and institutions of the Andean Integration System (AIS)
http://www.comunidadandina.org/

Among the organs of the Andean Integration System, the “Convenio Hipólito Unanue” (CONHU) is the organ dedicated to health. Chile, while not part of the CAN, is part of the CONHU. The CONHU holds yearly meetings of the Ministers of Health of the Andean Area (REMSAA for “ Reuniones de Ministros de Salud del Area Andina”), as well as other Health Ministers fora on different health topics, such as the Forum on Health Sector Reform.
http://www.conhu.org.pe

Mercosur
In 1991, the Asunción Treaty was adopted, thus creating the Common Market of the South. (MERCOSUR) between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Later Chile (1996), Bolivia (1997), Peru (2001) and Venezuela (2004) joined as associate states. Mexico has observer status.

Since 1995, MERCOSUR holds a yearly Meeting of Ministers of Health. Within the Common Market Group of MERCOSUR, a special working group (Subgroup No. 11) is also entirely dedicated to health. Others deal with topics related to health, such as Subgroup No. 6 on the Environment, No. 8 on Agriculture, or No. 10 on Work, Employment and Social Security Issues.
http://www.mercosur.org.uy

Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT)
The ACT was signed on 3 July 1978 by Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela in order to promote joint actions towards the harmonious development of the Amazon Basin , through environmental preservation and rational utilization of the region's natural resources.
http://www.otca.org.br/