The Ministers’ Roundtable on October 13, 2000, represents the next important step in achieving a closer cooperation in transportation among the nations of the Western Hemisphere. Much has been accomplished since Ministers last convened nearly two years ago. These efforts have been overseen by the WHTI Executive Committee, to which all of the member nations belong, as well as the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Organization of American States (OAS).

Before providing an assessment of the current status of the Executive Committee’s ongoing efforts, a brief historical background follows.

Background. On December 14-16, 1998, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater hosted a meeting of Western Hemisphere Ministers of Transport in New Orleans, Louisiana. The theme of the Ministerial was "Transportation in the 21^st Century: A Vision for Integration", and Transport Ministers or their representatives from thirty-three of the thirty-four Western Hemisphere nations participated.

The New Orleans Western Hemisphere Transportation Ministerial was a timely follow-up to the Summit of the Americas. At the Transportation Ministerial held in 1996 in Santiago, Chile, the Ministers of Transport established the Western Hemisphere Transportation Initiative (WHTI) to discuss the region’s key transportation matters. A major goal of WHTI was to include ‘transportation’ in the agenda and action plan of the 1998 Summit of the Americas (SOA) in Santiago, Chile. At the Summit, Heads of State agreed to bring ‘transportation’ under the SOA umbrella. Having reached this "milestone," the subsequent New Orleans Ministerial provided an opportunity to build on this momentum and set specific strategies to advance the goals of the WHTI.

Ministers, joined by other government officials and more than two hundred representatives from the region’s private sector, discussed a range of issues, including: improved planning and integration of the region’s sea, land and air transportation systems; developing transportation systems that support trade and tourism, including deregulation and market liberalization of transportation services; privatization of transportation entities and use of innovative financing mechanisms; enhancing transportation safety and security; and transportation technology and information networks.

Ministers adopted a Memorandum of Consultations on Disaster Response Cooperation In Central America and the Caribbean pledging to cooperate to support, to the extent and capacity of each nation, those countries damaged by Hurricanes Georges and Mitch, in rebuilding their essential transportation infrastructure.

Ministers also adopted a Ministerial Declaration clearly setting out a vision for transportation in the Americas in the 21^st Century. In this Declaration, they established eight priority action areas for follow-up under the WHTI, and requested that Terms of Reference be developed for the WHTI Executive Committee. The status of follow-up on these directives is summarized below. (Copies of papers circulated concerning the action areas are available in the foyer to this conference room and on the WHTI web page, at http:www.transport-americas.org.)

Development of Terms of Reference for the WHTI Executive Committee:

At a meeting in Santiago, Chile, in April 1999, a committee comprising representatives of Brazil, Canada and Chile was established to develop a draft Terms of Reference. An initial version of the draft Terms of Reference was completed by this committee in June 1999, and circulated to all members for comment. A final draft version was agreed upon by the Executive Committee at its meeting in Mexico City on June 20, 2000. This document was endorsed in September 2000, having been submitted to all member countries’ Transport Ministers.

Priority Action Area 1: A plan of action for integration.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) submitted a "Proposal for a Plan of Action" to the June 20, 2000, WHTI Executive Committee meeting in Mexico City, requesting that all members comment on it. Based on input received, ECLAC has developed a further iteration of this document, which has been circulated to all members for further review. Based on comments and suggestions received, a final draft of this document will be prepared for the next formal WHTI Ministerial meeting.

Priority Action Area 2. The establishment of a transportation statistics system for the Americas.

A Group of Experts met in June 1999 to launch this important initiative to prepare a work program. Canada is currently conducting 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 Western Hemisphere Transport Data System (WHTDS). Canada has developed a web site for interactive cooperation under the WHTDS project, at http://www.whtds-sdtho.org.

Priority Action Area 3. Development of a hemisphere transportation 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 the reduction of vulnerability of transportation systems in Central America. The U.S. Maritime Administration has contributed greatly to this effort with funds provided by the USAID. 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.

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 was circulated among the members of the Executive Committee in advance of the meeting in June 2000, and Costa Rica, Brazil and Canada have responded, to date, with comments. Other member countries and organizations wishing to submit input on this document are invited to do so at their earliest convenience.

Priority Action Area 5. Preparation of a best practices report on infrastructure financing.

The Inter-American Development Bank has submitted a paper identifying its ongoing initiatives and practices, and it has recently amended the paper to outline its future activities. The World Bank has committed to submitting a similar document in the near future.

Priority Action Area 6. Sponsorship of capacity-building seminars for exchange of information and personnel.

At the June 20, WHTI Executive Committee meeting, the OAS tabled a report on ports-related capacity building work in which it is currently involved. The USA and Brazil have also supplied information regarding capacity-building activities, which has been placed on the new WHTI web site. It is suggested that the WHTI web site should increasingly act as a clearinghouse for information regarding capacity-building activities in the region, including personnel exchanges. All members are invited to submit such information as soon as it is available.

Priority Action Area 7. Exchange of information on transportation technologies.

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has submitted a paper that was circulated among the Executive Committee members. Canada has commented, suggesting additional vehicles for sharing transport technologies. Other member countries and organizations wishing to submit input on this document are invited to do so at their earliest convenience.

Priority Action Area 8. Convening of a Y2K conference in 1999.

Mexico served as lead for this action area and convened a meeting at which potential challenges were discussed as the new millennium approached. By anticipating various possible difficulties, remedial action was made possible, and the effort was deemed a success.

Selection of a New Chair and Co-Chairs.

At its June 20, 2000 meeting, the WHTI discussed the selection of a Chair and Co-Chairs for the first two-year period under the new Terms of Reference. According to the Terms of Reference, the countries occupying these positions should be from different sub-regions with the Western Hemisphere, in order to ensure an appropriate regional balance. Canada offered to occupy the position of Chair, Jamaica offered to occupy one Co-Chair position, and Bolivia and Peru offered to share another. Subject to consultation with the Ministers of Transport of member countries, the selection of these countries came into effect as of October 1, 2000.

Creation of a WHTI web site:

In accord with the decision taken at the June 20, 2000, Executive Committee meeting, the OAS Office for Summit Follow-up has developed, in consultation with the Chair pro tempore, a web site for the WHTI, connected to the Summit of the Americas Information Network. This site 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.

© 2000 Executive Committee of the Western Hemisphere Transport Initiative, and, Office of Summit Follow-Up, Organization of American States.
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