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Joint Communique on the U.S.-Central America Dialogue on Sustainable Development and 5th Anniversary Review of CONCAUSA Panama City, Panama, May 15, 2000 Released by the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, June 14, 2000

On May 15 2000, delegates representing the member states of the Central American Integration System (SICA), the Government of Belize and the Government of the United States of America, met to review and analyze progress and further action under the Central America-U.S. Joint Accord (CONCAUSA), and to discuss other sustainable development issues of regional and global importance. The Central American delegation was led by His Excellency Jose Miguel Aleman, President Pro Tempore of SICA and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Panama, and other ministers and vice-ministers of the region. The United States delegation was led by the Honorable Frank E. Loy, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

Our delegations met at the dawn of a new century, our countries enjoying the fruits of democracy and peace. Nonetheless, we recognize that the problems of poverty, underdevelopment, and environmental degradation threaten to set us back, reversing the hard fought achievements made during past decades. It is to these challenges we turned today. It is for that reason that CONCAUSA in the year 2000 is so significant and pertinent to the people of Central America and the United States.

Through CONCAUSA, signed by the Presidents of Central America, the Prime Minister of Belize and President Clinton at the 1994 Summit of the Americas in Miami, the United States became the first extraregional partner to the Central American Alliance for Sustainable Development (ALIDES), an initiative which includes political, economic, social, environmental and cultural elements. CONCAUSA's Action Plan, also adopted at the Summit, called on the parties to undertake efforts to conserve Central America's rich but threatened biological diversity, facilitate more efficient and environmentally friendly energy supplies to the region, support a program of improved environmental legislation and regulation in the Central American countries, and take joint concrete actions to place Central America on a path of sustainable economic development.

During today's dialogue, the delegates discussed the actions taken during the past five years to fulfill CONCAUSA's mandate. All elements of the Action Plan were reviewed. On the whole, the delegates found a record of substantial accomplishment and fulfillment of the directives set forth by the Presidents and Prime Minister under CONCAUSA. In the area of biodiversity, the two sides noted the increase in parks and protected areas throughout Central America, and applauded the initiation of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. On energy, the delegates examined plans for more efficient transmission and distribution of energy in the isthmus, and pledged continued efforts to increase the supply and accessibility of renewable energy. The existence of environmental laws and regulations in all Central American countries, with U.S. technical support, was pointed out as a concrete CONCAUSA achievement.

In the area of sustainable economic development, the two sides expressed satisfaction at the recent passage by the U.S. Congress of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, expanding the Caribbean Basin Initiative to increase access to the U.S. market for Central American goods, and called for continued trade and investment liberalization by all countries involved.

The dialogue continued with an examination of future US-Central America collaboration on sustainable development. The U.S. delegation reaffirmed its intention to follow-up on President Clinton's commitment, made in Antigua, Guatemala in 1999, to a second five-year, $25 million program as part of its implementation of actions in support of CONCAUSA. The delegations also discussed: efforts to address vulnerability and disaster mitigation in the wake of Hurricane Mitch, the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, global climate change negotiations, competitiveness and sustainable development in Central America, and shared views on how the international community should prepare to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Earth Summit in 2002.

At the close of the session, the two sides expressed their intention:

• To renew the political commitment made in Miami by the Presidents and Prime Minister to work jointly toward the objectives of the Alliance for Sustainable Development.

• To utilize CONCAUSA as the most appropriate mechanism to work together to achieve these objectives.

• To draft an updated Action Plan to guide future activities under CONCAUSA. An interagency working group will meet to prepare this plan. The working group will be organized by the Presidency Pro tempore of SICA and representatives of all Central American countries on behalf of Central America, and by representatives of the U.S. Agency for International Development's Guatemala and Central America Programs, and of the U.S. Department of State's Environmental Hub for Central America and the Caribbean, on behalf of the United States.

• To instruct the working group, in drafting the updated Action Plan, to use as guidance the themes discussed during this dialogue.

• To prepare the updated Action Plan with the intent of presenting it, following approval by senior officials, to the heads of state and governments of Central America and the United States at the Quebec City Summit of the Americas in 2001.

The representatives of Central America and the United States expressed their profound gratitude to the people and Government of the Republic of Panama for their hospitality and excellent organization of this event, which contributed to the success of the meeting and reaffirmation of the spirit of integration.

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