Forum in Costa Rica examines Inter-American Democratic Charter.

• Position: OAS

CLOSE TO 80 GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, academics, and civil society representatives from Central America, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic met in San Jose, Costa Rica to share experiences, assess the progress of democracy in the region, and analyze the implications of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

This sub-regional dialogue on "Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development," was one of the activities organized by the OAS to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Charter. Among those present were OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza; Costa Rica's Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Dr. Victoria Marina Velásquez de Avilés; the Secretary General of FLACSO, Francisco Rojas; and the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Santiago Cantón.

According to the Costa Rican Vice-Chancellor Carlos Roverssi, the gathering was "an historic opportunity to reflect on international conflict resolution mechanisms" and an occasion for celebrating 30 years of democracy in Central America. It was a time to "look at the depth of the achievements made thus far as well as the intensity of ongoing challenges to democracy in the region."

In his remarks, the OAS Secretary General discussed the evolution of democracy in the region and the various milestones in its development. He said that "while the overall balance of the...