Development of Terms of Reference
for the WHTI Executive Committee.
A draft version of the Terms of
Reference for the WHTI Executive Committee was prepared by Brazil,
Canada and Chile, and agreed on by the Executive Committee at its
meeting in Mexico City on June 20, 2000. This document was endorsed as
of October 1, 2000, having been submitted to all member countries’
Transport Ministers.
Priority Action Area 1: A plan of
action for integration.
In June 2000, the Economic
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) submitted a
"Proposal for a Plan of Action" to the WHTI Executive
Committee meeting in Mexico City. Based on input provided by WHTI
members, this document was further developed and resubmitted to the
Executive Committee meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay, in December 2000.
ECLAC has since developed a final version of this document, which will
be presented to Ministers in March 2001.
Priority Action Area 2. The
establishment of a transportation statistics system for the Americas.
The Western Hemisphere Transport
Data System (WHTDS) project team first met in June 1999 to prepare a
work program. Canada has since conducted a survey of the availability
of transportation statistics in the Western Hemisphere, the results of
which will establish the basis for future work under the WHTDS. Canada
has also developed a web site for interactive cooperation under the
WHTDS project, at http://www.whtds-sdtho.org/. There will be a
further meeting of the WHTDS project group in Ottawa on May 3-4, 2001.
Priority Action Area 3. Development
of a disaster response plan.
The Unit for Sustainable Development
of the Organization of American States (OAS) is working with Central
American Economic Integration System (SIECA) and the Central American
Center for Natural Disaster Prevention (CEPREDENAC), and technical
teams from various countries, in an activity focusing on creating
mechanisms for mutual assistance in case of emergencies, and on the
reduction of the vulnerability of transportation systems to natural
disasters. The U.S. Maritime Administration has also contributed
greatly to this effort.
The OAS is also working with Central
American countries in preparing a vulnerability profile of road
corridors and in training transportation specialists in the use of
natural hazard information for the preparation of investment projects.
Furthermore, the OAS and the government of the province of Mendoza,
Argentina, will host a meeting on the reduction of the vulnerability
of transport infrastructure to the effects of natural disasters on
March 26-28, 2001, in Mendoza.
Priority Action Area 4. Preparation
of a compendium on safety and incident response best practices.
The United States has developed a
draft compendium document, which has been submitted to all members for
comments and suggestions, and which is available on the WHTI web site.
Priority Action Area 5. Preparation
of a best practices report on infrastructure financing.
Papers by the Inter-American
Development Bank and the World Bank on innovative mechanisms for
transportation infrastructure financing are available on the WHTI
Internet site. Other countries are also invited to submit reports and
information regarding this issue for publishing on the site.
Priority Action Area 6. Sponsorship
of capacity-building seminars for exchange of information and
personnel.
At the WHTI Executive Committee
meeting on June 20, 2000, the OAS tabled a report on its ports-related
capacity building work. The USA and Brazil have also supplied
information regarding capacity-building activities, which has been
placed on the new WHTI web site. The WHTI web site should increasingly
act as a clearinghouse for information regarding capacity-building
activities in the region, including personnel exchanges.
Priority Action Area 7. Exchange of
information on transportation technologies.
The U.S. Federal Highway
Administration has developed a paper on this subject, which is
available on the WHTI web site. This paper includes an appendix, which
lists mechanisms for the exchange of information on transportation
technologies. All member countries and organizations have been invited
to submit the contact data of other mechanisms that they are aware of,
for inclusion in this document.
Priority Action Area 8. Convening of
a Y2K conference in 1999.
In May 1999, Mexico hosted a
conference at which potential challenges were discussed as the new
millennium approached. By anticipating various possible difficulties,
remedial action was made possible.
Western Hemisphere Transport
Ministers’ Roundtable Meeting.
On October 13, 2001, in Washington,
DC, the United States hosted a roundtable meeting of Ministers of
Transport and other representatives from many WHTI countries and
member organizations, as well as from the International Civil Aviation
Organization.
Selection of a New Chair and
Co-Chairs.
Upon approval of the new Terms of
Reference, on October 1, 2001, Canada became Chair of the WHTI
Executive Committee for a period of two years. Jamaica also became
Co-Chair for a period of two years, while Bolivia assumed the
responsibility for one year. Peru will become Co-Chair for a one-year
period as of October 1, 2001.
Creation of a WHTI web site.
In accordance with the decision
taken at the Executive Committee meeting on June 20, 2000, the OAS
Office for Summit Follow-up has developed a web site for the
WHTI, connected to the Summit of the Americas Information Network.
This site, located at http://www.transport-americas.org, will
play an important role in increasing the efficiency and reducing the
inherent costs of cooperation under the WHTI, as well as in promoting
the Initiative’s work and making documentation related to WHTI
projects widely available.
