INFORME DE LA DELEGACIÓN DEL H. CONGRESO DE LA UNIÓN ANTE LA 23ª REUNIÓN ANUAL DEL FORO PARLAMENTARIO ASIA PACÍFICO Quito, Ecuador, 10 al 15 de enero de 2015 Del 10 al 15 de enero de 2015, se llevó a cabo la 23ª Reunión Anual del Foro Parlamentario Asia Pacífico en la ciudad de Quito, Ecuador. La delegación del H. Congreso de la Unión estuvo integrada por los senadores Daniel Ávila Ruiz, Manuel Cavazos Lerma, Miguel Romo Medina; y los diputados federales Alfonso Inzunza Montoya y Roberto López González. Sesión Solemne de Inauguración Al inaugurar oficialmente la 23ª Reunión del Foro Parlamentario Asia Pacífico (APPF), el cual congregó a delegaciones legislativas de 17 países en Quito, Gabriela Rivadeneira Burbano, presidenta del Foro y de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador, se pronunció por la necesidad de fortalecer un multilateralismo activo y comprometido con la solución de los problemas comunes en la región y el mundo. Tras dar la bienvenida a los parlamentarios de los países miembros del Foro, la legisladora ecuatoriana destacó la importancia de la Cuenca del Pacífico tanto en el plano demográfico como en el económico y el político. Al mismo tiempo, indicó que estas características suponen un futuro de interdependencia entre las naciones que la integran, el cual requiere de la construcción de consensos y de una agenda que permitan sentar bases cada vez más sólidas para un futuro de paz y de prosperidad compartidas. De este modo, agradeció a los asistentes por su presencia y por asumir la responsabilidad depositada en ellos por sus votantes para discutir las necesidades, desafíos y aspiraciones de sus pueblos en espacios como el APPF. 1

Por

otra

parte,

Rivadeneira

Burbano

reafirmó el compromiso de Ecuador con los procesos multilaterales de concertación política y de cooperación, al igual que con la generación de un modelo alternativo de desarrollo frente a la crisis de los modelos hegemónicos. Así, se refirió al plan nacional del Ecuador del “Buen Vivir”, mismo que consiste en un proyecto que pone al ser humano y su relación armónica con la naturaleza por encima del capital. Detalló que con base en estos principios, Ecuador propuso una agenda de discusión misma que giró en torno a cuatro temas centrales: política y seguridad, economía, cooperación regional y los retos a futuro del APPF. Durante este acto inaugural, también ofreció un mensaje el Sr. Hirofumi Nakasone, miembro de la Cámara de Consejeros de Japón, en representación del Sr. Yasuhiro Nakasone, Presidente Honorario del Foro Parlamentario Asia Pacífico (APPF), quien señaló que el mundo está transitando de un modelo unipolar hacia uno de tipo multipolar, el cual precisa establecer un nuevo orden global de paz y prosperidad. Así, enfatizó la importancia del APPF

para generar esfuerzos unificados para este fin, mediante la

cooperación de cada país miembro. El senador japonés dijo que la cultura es uno de los más grandes logros de la raza humana,

por

lo

que

la

comunidad

internacional debe promover su intercambio tanto para fortalecer tanto a la cultura global como para reforzar los vínculos entre las naciones. Esto, principalmente a través del desarrollo de tecnologías de la comunicación que permitan romper las fronteras y eliminar los obstáculos que aún existen entre un país y otro. 2

Conferencia magistral de la Presidenta del Foro Asia Pacífico y Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador El 12 de diciembre se llevó a cabo la apertura de

la

23ª

Reunión

Anual

del

Foro

Parlamentario Asia Pacífico (APPF), tras la cual, Gabriela Rivadeneira Burbano ofreció una conferencia magistral en la que abordó los temas de política y seguridad en la región.

La Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador apuntó que el principal reto del Foro en el que se encuentra representada más del 60 por ciento de la población mundial- es generar un espacio de diálogo y entendimiento mutuo que permita cultivar acuerdos y responder a los desafíos de un mundo cada vez más complejo e interdependiente. En este sentido, retomó las propuestas de la 22ª Reunión que se llevó a cabo en Puerto Vallarta, México, entre las que se planteó reforzar el sistema multilateral de diplomacia parlamentaria a fin de lograr una mayor estabilidad y seguridad en la región, además de privilegiar el arreglo pacífico por encima de la controversia y la confrontación. Recalcó que para asegurar la paz en la Cuenca del Pacífico es imprescindible disminuir las asimetrías entre los países que la conforman a través del esfuerzo colectivo, por lo que la cooperación debe ir mucho más allá de la mera promoción del intercambio comercial. De esta forma, la parlamentaria ecuatoriana pidió a las delegaciones dejar atrás las especializaciones en las cadenas de producción y comercialización de mercancías, e impulsar el intercambio de ciencia y tecnología a fin de acabar con los estigmas y divisiones en el mercado global. Un mundo más justo y equitativo tanto a nivel nacional como internacional reclaman la democratización del conocimiento, la soberanía tecnológica y el acceso a la información objetiva, enfatizó.

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Abundó que en el caso de Ecuador, desde que se instaló la Revolución Ciudadana el 15 de enero de 2007, se tiene la concepción de que no puede haber una política de seguridad efectiva si no está acompañada de medidas para lograr la equidad económica y social. Por ende, el gobierno de Rafael Correa ha impulsado un cambio radical para crear el socialismo del “Buen Vivir”, el cual está basado en los principios de universalidad, igualdad, progresividad, solidaridad y no discriminación; además de que promueve la democracia, la justicia, la paz, los derechos humanos y el bien común. Destacó que las directrices de este plan nacional radican en el cambio de la estructura productiva para asegurar la soberanía y eficiencia de los sectores estratégicos; así como en el impulso a la transformación industrial y tecnológica que permitan generar una economía dinámica orientada a la innovación y el conocimiento. No obstante, la legisladora ecuatoriana señaló que junto a la prioridad de proteger al ser humano se encuentran el cuidado del medio ambiente y el fomento del desarrollo sostenible. Al respecto, se pronunció por superar el antropocentrismo y cobrar consciencia sobre la naturaleza y las condiciones necesarias para garantizar la supervivencia de la especie humana y de la vida en general en nuestro planeta. Nunca como ahora las decisiones que toman los Estados determinan la economía y el futuro de nuestras sociedades, aseveró. En otro tema, expuso que Ecuador apoya la necesidad de realizar una reforma integral al sistema de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas, toda vez que considera que éstos adolecen de un problema de representatividad. Por ello, esa nación propone que el Consejo de Seguridad esté integrado por bloques que aseguren que todos los países miembros se encuentren representados, además de que se incluyan mecanismos de rendición de cuentas a fin de transparentar el proceso de toma de decisiones. Por último, Rivadeneira Burbano condenó enérgicamente el ataque terrorista al semanario francés “Charlie Hebdo” en el que murieron doce personas. Al respecto, insistió en que el APPF debe exigir una investigación que examine todas las hipótesis y evite el 4

fraccionamiento de la opinión pública, a fin de evitar posibles desequilibrios y amenazas a la paz internacional. Primera y Segunda Sesión Plenaria: Política y Seguridad. El 12 de enero se realizaron las primeras dos sesiones plenarias de la 23ª Reunión del Foro Parlamentario Asia Pacífico (APPF), en las que intervinieron delegados de catorce países diferentes en los temas de fortalecimiento de la seguridad regional, ciberespionaje y políticas alternativas para combatir el crimen organizado transnacional y el terrorismo. El senador Miguel Romo Medina, presentó una propuesta de resolución a nombre de la delegación mexicana sobre “Derecho a la privacidad

y

a

la

seguridad

en

las

comunicaciones”, la cual tomó en cuenta la resolución de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas de enero de 2014, que establece la protección de la información personal en la era digital. Expuso que en los últimos años se han logrado grandes avances en las comunicaciones, particularmente en lo que respecta a los medios electrónicos, por lo que es obligación de los parlamentarios establecer una norma internacional que proteja a los usuarios. En efecto, refirió que a nivel global existe una preocupación acerca de cómo tratar eficazmente los múltiples problemas del ciberespacio, como son la seguridad, el respeto a la vida privada, el resguardo de la información, la libertad de expresión y el combate al crimen organizado. Por ende, afirmó que se deben identificar los modos de acción parlamentaria que permitan promover nuevas políticas y una mayor cooperación internacional con el objetivo de lograr una adecuada legislación en la materia. Asimismo, es sumamente importante compartir experiencias y conocimientos sobre estrategias para reforzar los 5

controles de lavado de dinero, la criminalización del uso de recursos de procedencia ilícita y la prevención del uso delictivo de las herramientas cibernéticas y de computación. Detalló que la propuesta de México retomó el debate que surgió durante la 22ª Reunión Anual que se realizó en nuestro país, en Puerto Vallarta, sobre la necesidad de hacer frente a las amenazas tradicionales y no tradicionales que representan un riesgo para la paz y la estabilidad. Así, en la resolución se insta a establecer consensos regionales para definir y tipificar las conductas y delitos informáticos, además de promover la especialización de las policías, fiscales y demás funcionarios judiciales en este campo. Más aún, se urge a los Estados a observar las resoluciones de los organismos internacionales para armonizar las diferentes leyes nacionales acerca de la investigación de los delitos informáticos y preservar así el derecho a la privacidad y a la seguridad en las comunicaciones. El senador resaltó que los datos personales están crecientemente resguardados por entidades privadas, incluyendo proveedores de servicios en la nube, y que el acceso a los mismos por parte de agencias gubernamentales puede violar las regulaciones de protección de datos y la intimidad de las personas. Así, resulta indispensable garantizar la Protección de los Derechos Humanos y de las Libertades Fundamentales consideradas en el Pacto Internacional de Derechos Civiles y Políticos de las Naciones Unidas (1966) y otros tratados internacionales aplicables en materia de derechos humanos; así como los avances presentados por diferentes organizaciones, entre ellas la Organización de Cooperación y Desarrollo Económico (OCDE), sobre la elaboración de las normas para la seguridad de los sistemas de información, con la intención de ofrecer las bases para que los Estados y el sector privado puedan erigir un marco de seguridad para los sistemas informáticos. 6

Por su parte, el diputado Roberto López González

habló

sobre

las

políticas

alternativas y los nuevos enfoques para prevenir y combatir el crimen organizado transnacional y el terrorismo. Refirió que de acuerdo con el Secretario General de las Naciones Unidas, Ban Ki-moon, cada año mueren alrededor de 200 mil personas por sobredosis como consecuencia del uso indebido y del tráfico ilícito de drogas. Mientras tanto, según la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas contra la Droga y el Delito (UNODC, por sus siglas en inglés), los niños representan una tercera parte de las víctimas de trata en todo el mundo, siendo objeto de explotación sexual, trabajo forzado, combate armado y mendicidad. De este modo hizo un llamado a los Parlamentos de la región a elaborar y aplicar las leyes para combatir la trata de personas y el comercio de estupefacientes, además del tráfico de armas y el terrorismo, con base en los instrumentos adoptados por las Naciones Unidas en estos ámbitos. Al presentar el proyecto de resolución de la Delegación Mexicana en este tema, el legislador señaló que se recomienda a los países de Asia-Pacífico la creación de Comisiones Especiales que den seguimiento a los temas vinculados con el crimen organizado transnacional, a fin de formular y mejorar las legislaciones para combatirlos. La propuesta de México, dijo, sugiere también el establecimiento de políticas para enfrentar el problema de las drogas a partir de un enfoque integral que considere la seguridad ciudadana, la salud pública y los derechos humanos; insta a realizar campañas contra la producción, el tráfico y el uso de drogas ilícitas, y pide fortalecer la cooperación en este tema con los Estados, las organizaciones regionales e internacionales, las agencias gubernamentales, las universidades y las organizaciones no gubernamentales.

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En el caso de la trata de personas, se alienta a fortalecer la cooperación regional para combatir este crimen mediante la investigación, la formación y el intercambio de información policial para procesar de manera eficaz a los perpetradores. Mientras tanto, se solicita incrementar la colaboración regional para encontrar, capturar y someter a la justicia a quien apoye o facilite la financiación, planificación y ejecución de actos terroristas. Finalmente, se invita a los países del APPF que todavía no lo hacen, a firmar y ratificar el Tratado sobre el Comercio de Armas, el cual entró en vigor en diciembre de 2014 y constituye el primer acuerdo global, jurídicamente vinculante, que regula la compraventa de armas convencionales y establece un marco de responsabilidad y transparencia en las transferencias internacionales de las mismas. Dicho instrumento, cuenta actualmente con 130 Estados firmantes y 61 ratificaciones. El Diputado López González expuso que en México, bajo la actual administración del Presidente Enrique Peña Nieto, se han reducido los homicidios dolosos en diversos estados y regiones del país que anteriormente se encontraban asediados por la violencia y el crimen organizado. Por otra parte, a finales del año pasado se expidió la Ley General de los Derechos de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes que establece que las autoridades federales, estatales y municipales tomarán las medidas necesarias para prevenir, atender y sancionar los casos en que niñas, niños o adolescentes se vean afectados por el abandono o el abuso físico, psicológico o sexual; la trata de personas; el abuso sexual infantil; el tráfico de menores; el trabajo antes de la edad mínima de quince años, entre otros. Como una forma de demostrar su apoyo a los objetivos del Tratado sobre el Comercio de Armas, nuestro país conduce el proceso preparatorio hacia la Primera Conferencia de los 8

Estados Parte, que se realizará en México en el verano de 2015. En este marco, se han celebrado consultas informales para iniciar las negociaciones sobre la construcción institucional del régimen establecido por el instrumento. Asimismo, en febrero de 2014, México participó en el XIV Periodo Ordinario de Sesiones del Comité Interamericano contra el Terrorismo (CICTE) de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA), realizado en Washington, D.C., donde se abordó el tema de la cooperación hemisférica para enfrentar la financiación del terrorismo y el lavado de activos, la cooperación para contrarrestar actividades delictivas de grupos terroristas y el fortalecimiento de la respuesta de la justicia penal ante el terrorismo. En el transcurso de estas primeras dos sesiones también intervino el senador canadiense Donald Plett, quien apuntó que son necesarios los esfuerzos coordinados y continuos para poder enfrentar los aspectos financieros del crimen organizado transnacional y del terrorismo. Puntualizó que las organizaciones delictivas hacen todo lo posible para disfrazar el origen ilegal de sus activos financieros, lo cual en muchas ocasiones les permite evitar la persecución penal; igualmente, un número de grupos terroristas movilizan dinero a través del sistema financiero internacional de modo que evitan la detección de sus actividades y propósitos. Más aún, aseveró que existe una conexión entre el lavado del dinero y la corrupción, lo cual puede tener un efecto corrosivo sobre las instituciones públicas y la economía legítima, impidiendo así el desarrollo de la democracia y el crecimiento económico. Relató que la UNODC estima que cada año el lavado de dinero alcanza entre 800 mil millones y dos billones de dólares. Mientras tanto, enfrentar este problema, al igual que el financiamiento del terrorismo, se ha dificultado conforme los sistemas financieros se han globalizado. Así, pidió continuar con los esfuerzos que a lo largo de los años se han realizado respecto la Convención de la ONU contra la Delincuencia Organizada Transnacional, la Convención de la ONU contra la Corrupción, el Convenio Internacional para la Represión del 9

Financiamiento del Terrorismo y una serie de resoluciones del Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU. Igualmente, respaldó la necesidad de que todos los países adopten mecanismos efectivos para la confiscación de las ganancias del crimen organizado. Plett destacó que Canadá es miembro del Grupo de Acción Financiera Internacional del G20, que está comprometido con el fortalecimiento de la respuesta global sobre estos delitos, y que en el año 2000 estableció la unidad nacional de inteligencia financiera FINTRAC, encargada de detectar, prevenir y disuadir el lavado de dinero, el financiamiento de actividades terroristas y otras amenazas a la seguridad de Canadá. Por su parte, el parlamentario neozelandés Lindsay Tisch, enfatizó que el multilateralismo continúa siendo un ancla importante a nivel internacional, especialmente para los países pequeños, como el suyo. En efecto, dijo que la seguridad y prosperidad de Nueva Zelandia dependen de la seguridad y prosperidad globales, así como de la voluntad de otras naciones para respetar las normas internacionales. Indicó que aunque las fronteras de su estado están alejadas del conflicto directo, en la región Asia-Pacífico existen amenazas de terrorismo, proliferación de armas, crimen transnacional y degradación económica y ambiental. Al respecto, reiteró el compromiso de Nueva Zelandia con la promoción de reglas internacionales efectivas y de soluciones multilaterales que permitan afrontar las amenazas a la seguridad regional, las cuales continúan evolucionando como resultado de factores internos y externos. Uno de los catalizadores de esta última categoría es el rápido crecimiento tecnológico y su uso por parte de grupos criminales, afirmó. Tal es el caso del Estado Islámico de Irak y el Levante (ISIL), entidad terrorista que hace uso de los medios sociales de comunicación en sus técnicas de reclutamiento. Este tema se ha convertido en una prioridad para Nueva Zelandia que, en diciembre de 2014, introdujo leyes enfocadas a fortalecer la capacidad para manejar las amenazas que representan los combatientes terroristas extranjeros, entre los cuales se encuentran varios de sus nacionales. Dicha legislación consiste en restringir e interrumpir los viajes 10

mediante la cancelación de pasaportes, y en aumentar la capacidad del Servicio de Inteligencia para vigilar a personas sospechosas durante 24 horas, sin la necesidad de una orden judicial. Tisch resaltó que las tragedias ocurridas en Canadá, Australia y, más recientemente, Francia ponen en relieve la necesidad de ser proactivo y vigilante, por lo que estas leyes constituyen la primera línea de defensa y un seguro para Nueva Zelandia. Conferencia magistral del Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana de la República del Ecuador Al iniciar el tercer día de actividades de la 23ª Reunión del APPF, Ricardo Patiño Aroca, Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana de la República del Ecuador

impartió

una

conferencia

magistral sobre cooperación regional en la que discutió la relevancia de Asia Pacífico para el mundo y las nuevas realidades políticas que están cambiando la configuración del sistema internacional, mismas que obligan a las instituciones gubernamentales a adaptarse. Ante este panorama, aseveró que una relación más cercana y dinámica entre los países miembros puede impulsar el potencial de la región si se trabaja en mecanismos más profundos y estables de cooperación. El ministro de Estado reconoció que las dinámicas de integración regional, en particular en Latinoamérica y El Caribe, han logrado un alto grado de interlocución tanto bilateral como multilateral. En efecto, 2014 cerró con un hito histórico: la inauguración de la sede permanente de la Secretaria General de la Unión de Naciones Suramericanas (UNASUR) en Quito. Sin embargo, llamó a superar la lógica de exportación de materias primas y del extractivismo como motores del crecimiento económico que ha caracterizado a la región. En este sentido, se pronunció por desarrollar las tecnologías de la información y la 11

comunicación, así como apoyar a los sectores económicos tradicionales y a las pequeñas y medianas empresas a incorporarse plenamente a una economía nacional orientada a la innovación. Por otra parte, hizo énfasis en la necesidad de contar con mecanismos alternativos de acceso al financiamiento internacional. Recordó que las crisis de la década de 1990, pusieron de manifiesto el menester de desarrollar instituciones y organismos que brinden un acceso suficiente al crédito productivo y de infraestructura. En este aspecto, indicó que con la puesta en marcha del Banco del Sur, Sudamérica está más cerca que nunca de tener un fondo de reservas que permita estabilizar su economía; además, junto con el Sistema Unitario de Compensación Regional de Pagos, constituye la base de la nueva arquitectura de América Latina y el Caribe. Patiño Aroca afirmó que mecanismos similares desarrollados por los países que conforman el BRIC demuestran un alto grado de similitud y posible complementariedad con los instrumentos creados en nuestra región. Enfatizó que son un paso importante hacia la soberanía financiera y la ruptura de la dependencia de las instituciones surgidas de Bretton Woods, las cuales en muchas ocasiones no han sido útiles para el desarrollo efectivo de las sociedades de Asia-Pacífico. Expuso que en el caso de Ecuador, se ha puesto en marcha un proceso para realizar una auditoría integral a los tratados bilaterales de inversión suscritos hasta la fecha, a fin de determinar hasta qué punto han resultado beneficiosos u onerosos para el país. En efecto, dijo, esa nación ya ha determinado que el sistema internacional de protección de inversiones es injusto. En otro tema, aseguró que una condición absolutamente indispensable para posibilitar un mayor volumen de intercambio comercial y financiero entre América Latina y Asia es el impulso a la infraestructura por parte de los gobiernos y las instancias supranacionales, toda vez que ningún actor privado puede movilizar los recursos necesarios para la construcción de una mayor conectividad. Como último punto, pidió promover iniciativas 12

de cooperación basadas en la creación de redes de conocimiento y el intercambio docente en áreas de investigación, ciencia y tecnología. Tercera Sesión Plenaria: Situación Regional e Internacional en Materia de Economía Durante la Tercera Sesión Plenaria de la 23ª Reunión Anual del APPF se presentó el reporte de China sobre la Cooperación Económica Asia-Pacífico (APEC) 2014 y se abordó el tema de los desafíos para financiar el desarrollo sostenible en equidad. El senador Daniel Ávila Ruiz habló sobre la cooperación abierta y no exclusiva para fomentar el crecimiento del libre comercio, la inversión y el desarrollo sostenible. Indicó que en el contexto global, estos temas se han mantenido en la agenda de las principales organizaciones internacionales, como es el caso de la Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) que desde hace ya varias décadas ha avanzado en el desarrollo de un sistema mundial de intercambio comercial más liberado y en beneficio de todas las partes. A nivel regional, expuso que los acuerdos de integración han brindado nuevas oportunidades para desarrollar relaciones de cooperación que permitan realizar evaluaciones en materia de sostenibilidad, así como entablar relaciones políticas, sociales y comerciales que den paso a una mayor apertura en la colaboración. El senador Ávila enfatizó que los parlamentarios deben reconocer que las relaciones cada vez son más abiertas y que el crecimiento sólo es posible con la interrelación de los diferentes actores, ya sean los gobiernos, las empresas y las organizaciones de la sociedad civil. Por ende, es necesario que los países se sumen a las cadenas mundiales de desarrollo y producción.

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Este proceso es facilitado por espacios como el APPF que permiten entablar el diálogo y la colaboración abierta en materia comercial y de desarrollo sustentable, aseveró. Recalcó que este tipo de cooperación abierta vincula los intereses de los países de la región, creando así condiciones de paz y estabilidad mediante el surgimiento de mayores oportunidades de trabajo, desarrollo y calidad de vida. Con el objeto de avanzar en estos trabajos y alcanzar un mayor nivel de cooperación entre los parlamentos de la Cuenca del Pacífico, Ávila Ruiz presentó la resolución de la Delegación Mexicana a favor de que los legisladores sumen esfuerzos regionales para la creación de una zona de libre comercio. De este modo, se da seguimiento a los acuerdos de la OMC respecto a contar con un sistema de comercio transparente, no discriminatorio, multilateral, abierto y –sobre todoinclusivo. Por ende, invitó a los asistentes a crear las condiciones necesarias para fortalecer las diferentes legislaciones nacionales en estos ámbitos. Cuarta y Quinta Sesión Plenaria: Cooperación en la Región Asia-Pacífico Entre los temas que se discutieron durante la Cuarta y Quinta Sesión Plenaria de la 23ª Reunión Anual del APPF, se encontraron la democratización de las organizaciones para cooperar en ámbitos como la paz, la libertad, la democracia y el bienestar económico; así como el cambio climático y el marco legislativo común para la protección social y la portabilidad de los derechos sociales. Además, se abordó el tema de la preservación y la promoción del patrimonio cultural de la región, en el cual intervino el diputado Alfonso Inzunza Montoya. El legislador expuso una propuesta de resolución a nombre del Congreso Mexicano, la cual hace hincapié en la obligación de cada país de promulgar y establecer un marco jurídico que proteja y fomente la herencia cultural de Asia-Pacífico; no obstante reitera los 14

derechos soberanos de los Estados a adoptar y aplicar las políticas y medidas que estimen necesarias para este fin. Además, busca promover el entendimiento y concientizar sobre la importancia que reviste la protección de las distintas expresiones culturales mediante la puesta en marcha de programas de educación y una mayor sensibilización de las políticas públicas nacionales. A nivel regional e internacional, prevé fortalecer la cooperación bilateral para crear condiciones

que

faciliten la promoción de la diversidad de las civilizaciones y que ayuden a lograr un nuevo estadio de desarrollo y sentido a las sociedades en su conjunto. Subrayó que la diversidad nos da una ventaja decisiva a partir de las experiencias de los demás, por lo que se debe respetar la identidad cultural y propiciar la participación de la sociedad en su conjunto en el proceso de toma de decisiones. De esta forma, afirmó, los parlamentarios tienen que defender firmemente la heterogeneidad cultural, étnica, racial, política y religiosa, tanto al interior de sus países como en los organismos regionales e internacionales de los que formen parte. El diputado afirmó que la protección de la herencia de la región es un derecho inalienable, por lo que debe existir un compromiso para generar políticas públicas sensibles a esta situación, las cuales pueden estar acompañadas de los recursos suficientes para satisfacer las necesidades y aspiraciones particulares de cada nación. En el tema de cooperación en la prevención de desastres, el diputado Inzunza Montoya acentuó el hecho de que se trata de un asunto de la mayor trascendencia para los acuerdos del Foro, dadas sus implicaciones para el bienestar de la población en general y ahora que las sociedades en su conjunto han desarrollado una consciencia global frente a las catástrofes naturales.

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Así, apuntó que los parlamentarios, en su carácter de representantes de los intereses de la sociedad y portavoces de las inquietudes colectivas, deben impulsar medidas legales que tengan como propósito sustantivo la organización y reacción oportuna ante este tipo de embates de la naturaleza. Manifestó que las instituciones y normas en materia de protección civil con las que cuentan los países para asistir a sus poblaciones, deben ser el referente de los acuerdos y tratados regionales que se establezcan en este ámbito. De este modo, dijo que las disposiciones que se lleguen a instrumentar para actuar ante situaciones de emergencia dispondrán del soporte legal adecuado para garantizar la cooperación y acciones de auxilio a la población civil; además de que se apegarán y respetarán la soberanía de las naciones. Indicó que lo anterior se apoya en el principio humanitario reconocido por el Derecho Internacional, que dicta como acción fundamental el salvamento de vidas para la prevención y el alivio del sufrimiento humano. Detalló que con este fin, la propuesta de resolución de la Delegación Mexicana pide a los legisladores de los países miembros del APPF buscar mecanismos de alerta, reacción y cooperación regional ante eventualidades derivadas a consecuencia de desastres; además de propiciar acuerdos y convenios cuyo objetivo sea instrumentar acciones de socorro y apoyo direccionadas a mitigar las afectaciones entre la población. De igual modo, se busca alentar la consolidación y coordinación regional de instituciones especializadas en materia de protección civil, y la configuración de medidas legislativas que regulen y coordinen la prevención y respuesta ante tales fenómenos. Entre otras acciones, el documento propone a los Estados realizar y actualizar sus Atlas Nacionales de Riesgos a fin de que permitan visualizar las vulnerabilidades para sus 16

poblaciones; así como socializar los acuerdos correspondientes en materia de acciones conjuntas de prevención y atención a sus habitantes. El diputado Inzunza Montoya concluyó asegurando que el APPF es una instancia que actúa en la identificación y discusión de asuntos de interés y preocupación regionales, con el propósito de promoverlos en un contexto global. Al identificar que los actores que integramos el APPF profundizamos en la comprensión de los asuntos de política pública, intereses y experiencias de los países de la región, además de que examinamos los desarrollos políticos, sociales y culturales críticos, resultantes del crecimiento e integración económica, puntualizó. Saludo a la Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional de Ecuador, Gabriela Rivadeneira. En el marco de la 23ª Reunión Anual del Foro

Parlamentario

Asia

Pacífico,

la

delegación mexicana tuvo la oportunidad de realizar un saludo de cortesía a la Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional de Ecuador, Sra. Gabriela Rivadeneira. El encuentro sirvió para refrendar los lazos de cooperación y amistad entre ambos países, ocasión en la cual la delegación mexicana agradeció la hospitalidad y organización ecuatoriana, así como para felicitar a la presidenta Rivadeneira por el exitoso desarrollo de este foro, el cual por su enfoque temático y geográfico, reviste de gran interés para México. Reunión Bilateral con la Delegación de Japón Durante el encuentro entre las delegaciones parlamentarias de México y Japón, el senador Hirofumi Nakasone (Jefe de la Delegación de Japón y Presidente de la Confederación japonesamexicana de los “Amigos de Japón y México”), destacó que los lazos de amistad entre ambos

17

países se han fortalecido con el transcurrir del tiempo, prueba de ello, son los festejos de los 400 años de amistad y los diversos actos posteriores a ellos. Asimismo, apuntó que los encuentros de alto nivel se han venido desarrollando casi de manera cotidiana, destacando que el presidente de México Enrique Peña Nieto y el ministro de Relaciones Exteriores José Antonio Meade, han visitado el Japón y, en correspondencia, el Príncipe Akihito y el ministro Shinzo Abe, han realizado visitas oficiales a México. En este sentido, también enfatizó que durante los trabajos del Foro Anual Parlamentario de AsiaPacífico (APPF), la relación establecida en este marco, ha ido madurando con el devenir de los años, de ahí el estar nuevamente reunidos intercambiando ideas y proyectos para un futuro cercano en franca armonía. De la misma forma, comentó que se reuniría en días posteriores con el Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores José Antonio Meade; con el líder de la Cámara de Senadores, el Senador Miguel Barbosa Huerta; con el líder del PRI, César Camacho Quiroz y con el Ministro Enrique Martínez y Martínez, de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (Sagarpa). También expuso que pondrá su mayor esfuerzo para establecer intercambios parlamentarios continuos entre los dos países. Y que, para ello, el Consejo de su país a partir del año fiscal de 2015 que empieza este año, observará lo conducente en cuanto a fechas de invitación, siendo el Presidente del Parlamento o del Consejo quien haga la invitación formal a los parlamentarios mexicanos, para llevar a cabo en Japón un encuentro parlamentario bilateral. Por su parte, el Jefe de la Delegación Mexicana, Senador Daniel Ávila Ruiz, expresó su agradecimiento por el encuentro bilateral entre ambas delegaciones. Al tiempo que le transmitía su reconocimiento y felicitación al Ministro Shinzo Abe por los logros obtenidos en las elecciones de diciembre pasado en Japón; y por la designación del recién designado Embajador Extraordinario y Plenipotenciario de Japón en México, el Sr. Akira Yamada, exdirector General para asuntos de América Latina y el Caribe del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. 18

En su disertación, destacó el grado de madurez de las relaciones bilaterales desde el ámbito político, parlamentario y económico, donde el Japón ha incrementado su inversión en un “335 por ciento en varios sectores de la economía como el automotriz, el electrónico, el de metales, el de la transformación de alimentos y fabricación de alta tecnología, principalmente en la Región del Bajío, en los Estados de Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Jalisco y Querétaro”. Con estos ejemplos, hizo “patente el compromiso de México por consolidarse como un referente dentro de las relaciones transpacíficas, un actor global responsable potencialmente económico, y una entrada estratégica hacia a América del Norte y América Latina”. Asimismo, agradeció la dedicación del Senador Nakasone para llevar a cabo la Primera Reunión Bilateral entre ambos parlamentos. Para concluir, manifestó el interés de México y de Japón de que la aerolínea, aérea ANA (All Nippon Airways), realice vuelos directos a México tanto de pasajeros como de carga entre ambas naciones. En sus comentarios, el Senador Nakasone refirió que a fin de fortalecer las relaciones entre los dos países, el Gobierno va a instalar un Consulado para poder profundizar los lazos entre ambos. Señaló que “las exportaciones de México a Japón subieron el 75% desde el 2004 al 2013 y las exportaciones de Japón a México se incrementaron en un 77%, representando un 70 por ciento del valor de total de las exportaciones”. En relación a la solicitud para que existan vuelos directos entre Japón y México, apuntó que ya recibieron la solicitud de México y que esto será de gran beneficio para los dos países y que sería un tema de conversación con los directivos de ANA (All Nippon Airways) asegurando realizar un mayor esfuerzo para promover que ANA vuele directamente a México.

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Sin otro punto a tratar, se dio por terminado el encuentro bilateral entre las Delegaciones de México y Japón, en la ciudad de Quito, Ecuador. Comité de Redacción El Senador Manuel Cavazos Lerma, fue el representante de la delegación del H. Congreso de la Unión ante el Comité de Redacción de la 23ª Reunión Anual del Foro Parlamentario Asia Pacífico. Dicho Comité tuvo la muy alta responsabilidad de redactar, por consenso de todas las delegaciones participantes del APPF, cada uno de los textos de las resoluciones finales a efecto de someterlas al Pleno del APPF para su adopción. El Comité de Redacción sesionó durante los 5 días de trabajo del foro y, mediante una amplia labor de cabildeo entre los representantes de las delegaciones, se redactaron 181 resoluciones mismas que fueron adoptadas por el Pleno de la 23ª Reunión Anual del Foro Parlamentario Asia Pacífico.

La delegación mexicana colaboró en cinco de estas resoluciones, a saber, en los temas de: economía y comercio; educación, cultura, ciencia y tecnología; cooperación en la prevención de desastres; ciberseguridad y derecho a la privacidad, y políticas alternativas en la lucha del crimen organizado transnacional. En estos ámbitos, se determinó urgir a los parlamentos de los estados miembros del APPF a extender sus poderes legislativo para evaluar continuamente los instrumentos de comercio internacionales, con miras a promover la igualdad de oportunidades al interior y entre los países; además de implementar políticas fiscales y financieras efectivas para responder a los riesgos y asegurar la estabilidad de sus economías y del empleo. También se les pidió comprometerse a luchar contra medidas negativas de proteccionismo;

1

Para la revisión exhaustiva del contenido de las 18 resoluciones aprobados, remitirse al apartado ANEXOS al final del presente documento.

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completar las negociaciones de la Ronda de Doha para facilitar el crecimiento económico mediante la inversión y el libre comercio; promover el intercambio de prácticas y experiencias en cuestiones de cooperación y desarrollo sostenible, y fomentar una economía basada en el crecimiento económico que permita la construcción de capacidades técnicas y científicas en un ambiente que favorezca la innovación, la conectividad regional y el respeto a los derechos de propiedad intelectual. Para los países que estén interesados, se hizo un llamado a implementar las políticas y reformas estructurales en materia de inversión en infraestructura, competencia, comercio y empleo delineadas en el Plan de Acción de Brisbane del G20 para lograr un crecimiento global adicional del 2 por ciento para 2018; mientras que a las economías que conforman la APEC, se les pidió avanzar en la materialización de la Zona de Libre Comercio de Asia Pacífico para impulsar la integración económica regional y fortalecer el sistema multilateral de comercio. Igualmente, se solicitó tomar acciones para garantizar los derechos de los ciudadanos a una educación de calidad; promover la cooperación multilateral activa en cultura, ciencia

y

tecnología;

incrementar

la

movilidad de estudiantes, investigadores y profesionales de la educación, e impulsar la creación de redes de conocimiento e intercambio de tecnología, con especial énfasis en el desarrollo de proyectos para los sectores rurales y marginados de la población. En este ámbito también se condenó la destrucción sin sentido del patrimonio cultural y se llamó a concientizar a la población sobre la protección de la herencia cultural contra el riesgo de robo, excavación clandestina y exportación ilícita. Para la prevención de desastres, se solicitó que los gobiernos de todos sus niveles prioricen medidas que incorporen la reducción del riesgo de desastres en sus políticas públicas, asignando recursos financieros adecuados para este propósito. Asimismo, se 21

alentó a los parlamentarios de la región a formular leyes nacionales que regulen y coordinen la prevención y respuesta a la población afectada en caso de desastre; así como a exhortar a sus gobiernos y a los organismos de las Naciones Unidas a realizar estrategias de reducción de riesgos, intercambiar tecnología, establecer sistemas de alerta temprana y mecanismos de respuesta rápida, y actualizar los Atlas de Riesgo. Finalmente, se pidió a los países miembros declarar que la protección de los servicios esenciales, particularmente de las escuelas y hospitales, es una de las principales prioridades sociales; además de reafirmar la importancia que tiene posicionar la reducción del riesgo de desastres en la Agenda de Desarrollo Post-2015. La resolución en materia de ciberseguridad urgió a las naciones a promover leyes y políticas públicas que prohíban el espionaje y la vigilancia cuando éstos contravengan los derechos

humanos

y

amenacen

a

la

economía y a la independencia de los mercados,

afecten a

las relaciones

internacionales y al respeto entre los estados. Se resolvió reafirmar el compromiso de los países del APPF con los derechos humanos, particularmente los relacionados con la privaidad y la libertad de expresión; fortalecer la cooperación entre gobiernos, agencias, compañías privadas y la sociedad civil para contrarrestar los ataques cibernéticos y el ciberterrorismo, y fomentar los acuerdos y leyes regionales para asegurar que las actividades de las agencias nacionales de inteligencia se mantengan en el marco de la ley. Finalmente, se condenó al terrorismo, al crimen organizado internacional y a la violencia en todas sus formas y se renovó el compromiso para combatirlos a través de la acción conjunta. Para este efecto, se urgió a los estados acelerar la implementación de los 22

convenios y protocolos de las Naciones Unidas para contrarrestar el terrorismo y se solicitó a los legisladores fortalecer la cooperación interparlamentaria regional e internacional para mejorar las bases legales para prevenir y combatir esta amenaza. Se alentó a los países miembros a utilizar la educación como un medio para promover el respeto por la vida los valores de no violencia y entendimiento mutuo, incluyendo programas para promover la inclusión y cohesión sociales. Por otro lado, se reconoció la necesidad de contar con mecanismos efectivos que permitan prevenir el lavado de dinero y retener y confiscar las ganancias del crimen organizado; además de promover la protección de las personas contra el riesgo de convertirse en víctimas de la violencia, la discriminación y la explotación. Compromisos y Acuerdos alcanzados durante la 23ª Reunión del APPF La 23ª edición del Foro Parlamentario Asia Pacífico concluyó con la firma de la Declaración Conjunta2 por parte del Comité Ejecutivo, documento en el que se exponen los acuerdos alcanzados durante la reunión y los compromisos de todos los participantes. Uno de los principales acuerdos fue la elección de Vancouver, Canadá, como la próxima sede del APPF. Al respecto, los representantes de Canadá hicieron un llamado a las otras delegaciones para contribuir a que la 24ª Reunión del Foro sea un esfuerzo conjunto que incorpore las mejores ideas y las necesidades de todos los participantes. Posteriormente, se continuó con la firma de la Declaración Conjunta por parte de los legisladores de las delegaciones, mediante la cual se adoptaron las 18 resoluciones presentadas por el Comité de Redacción. El acto de clausura terminó con un discurso por parte de Gabriela Rivadeneira Burbano, presidenta del Foro y de la Asamblea Nacional 2

Para consultar el texto de la Declaración Conjunta, remitirse a la sección ANEXOS al final del presente documento.

23

del Ecuador, quien reconoció el trabajo realizado durante las sesiones. Ante las delegaciones de los 17 países que participaron en el evento internacional, destacó que la región tiene el reto de consolidar la cooperación horizontal y avanzar hacia un mundo multipolar, por lo que calificó como imprescindible que los países generen una cercanía mayor basada en el reconocimiento mutuo y la vocación solidaria de compartir experiencias y saberes, con el fin de procurar un desarrollo más armónica que permita superar las asimetrías entre las naciones.

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ANEXOS

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia, Australia, Canada and China

RESOLUTION ON ACHIEVING DENUCLEARIZATION AND PEACE ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA Reaffirming all the APPF resolutions on the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including the Resolution on the Situation on the Korean Peninsula adopted at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the APPF in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in January 2014 (APPF22/RES-06); Emphasizing the importance of regional and international cooperation to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula, given that peace on the Peninsula is directly linked to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond; Noting the Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks in September 2005, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 1695, 1718, 1874, 2087 and 2094 of March 2013, the South-North Declaration in October 2007, the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration in September 2002, the Chairman’s Statements of the 17th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the 9th East Asia Summit in November 2014; Recognizing the importance of addressing the humanitarian concerns of the international community in the DPRK; Emphasizing the importance of encouraging the engagement of the DPRK with the international community, including dialogue between the two Koreas;

RESOLVES TO:

1. Request APPF Member States to reaffirm the importance of a nuclear weapons free Korean Peninsula for the peace and stability of the Peninsula as well as of the Asia-Pacific region and request the full and steady implementation of the relevant UNSC Resolutions; 2. Urge the DPRK to abide by relevant UNSC Resolutions and to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, including uranium enrichment activities, as well as ballistic missile programs, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner; 26

3. Confirm that the process of the Six-Party Talks is an effective framework for the peaceful resolution of the nuclear issues of the DPRK, call upon the relevant parties to take concrete actions conducive to the resumption of the Six-Party Talks, and express the support of the APPF Member States for this process; 4. Call upon the international community to take part in discussions on how to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula; 5. Demand the DPRK to fully comply with the NPT and IAEA safeguards obligations; 6. Provide full support for all efforts to enhance inter-Korean relations and achieve denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Ecuador, Chile and Malaysia ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL COOPERATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF DEMOCRACY, PARTICIPATION AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF WOMEN Whereas the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum first held in Singapore in August 1991, is a regional integration initiative that seeks to identify and discuss issues of regional concern and interest in order to promote them in a global context, by deepening and understanding of public policy issues and the experience of the countries of the region; Whereas the objectives of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum include: examining the political, social and cultural developments resulting from economic growth and integration; encouraging and promoting regional cooperation at all levels on matters of common interest to the region; Reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in December 1948, especially Article 7 which provides that "all men are equal before the law and, without any discrimination, are entitled to equal protection" and note that as women are human beings the usage of the term “men” includes women so that the same benefits and protection are afforded to women; Reaffirming the Universal Declaration on Democracy 1997, which, in its Article 1 defines democracy as "a universally recognized ideal and an objective based on common values shared by the peoples of the world community, regardless of their social cultural, political, and economic differences"; Reaffirming the Inter-American Democratic Charter of 2001, which Article 7 provides "Democracy is indispensable for the effective exercise of fundamental freedoms and human rights in their universality, indivisibility and interdependence, embodied in the respective constitutions of states and international human rights instruments"; Reaffirming the commitments undertaken by member States that have signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CEDAW, the Beijing Declaration and Platform adopted in 1995, the Resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations on the participation of women in politics in 2011 and the final document of the regional meeting of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on promoting women's leadership and political participation in Jakarta 2014;

28

Reaffirming the commitments made in ILO Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, where States undertake to promote actions geared at nondiscrimination, recognition of the culture of indigenous peoples, consultation and participation; Recognizing the Ministerial Declaration of Asia and the Pacific on progress towards gender equality and empowerment of women in Bangkok 2014 and the Resolution of the 17th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) on Gender Issues in the Parliamentarians adopted in Vientiane 2009; Recalling the resolutions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (WAIPA) on Women in Power and Decision Making in Kuala Lumpur 2007, Increasing Women's Representation in Politics in Hanoi 2010 and the Women's Leadership in Southeast Asia in Vientiane 2014; Recognizing Parlatino's Political Declaration on the Women and Democracy Parliamentary Meeting adopted in Panama 2014, and the Declaration of ParlAmericas with commitments on the Open Parliament in the Americas adopted in Chile 2014; Aware that the broad political diversity, the different types of regimes and ideological diversity in the Asia-Pacific region difficult progress and development of certain public policies and that the lack of transparency and probity are factors limiting democracy and thereby the prosperity of its inhabitants; Recognizing that women play a key role for the sustainable development of nations and their political participation and leadership in public and private spaces should be encouraged at all levels of decision making and free from any form of violence; Recognizing that Parliaments, Assemblies and Conventions are relevant areas to support the interests of women and their active involvement in the process of lawmaking is the key factor for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the United Nations Development Agenda Post-2015, particularly the women's agenda; RESOLVES TO: 1. Promote the development of civil, political, social and cultural rights with the aim to achieve equal rights for all members of society; 2. Strengthen the structure and role of the democratic States with the objective of fortifying the participation and government processes of inclusion involving social groups that have been historically discriminated against and excluded;

29

3. Urge the APPF Member States to promote the protection of human rights through social and economic rights in an environment of ethics and responsibility; 4. Reiterate the commitment of the APPF Member States to promote the protection and defense of the democratic order through the adoption of legislation which assures democratic participation and the development of social integration processes; 5. Encourage the use of best practices regarding transparency, accountability and probity in public policies; 6. Encourage parliaments to adopt policies that ensure equal opportunities for participation of ethnic, cultural and gender groups respecting diversity; 7. Promote the empowerment of women in politics and the promotion of female leadership in the Post-2015 Agenda with a specific approach to achieve complete and effective participation and equal opportunities for women in the political leadership and in decision making at all levels; 8. Encourage APPF Member States to use Information and Communications Technologies to promote the importance of women’s participation in politics. Quito, January 14th 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsor by: Australia, México, Canada, Ecuador and Malaysia ALTERNATIVE POLICIES AND NEW APPROACHES TO COMBATING TERRORISM AND OTHER TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME Reaffirming the previous resolutions concerning the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime adopted by the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum; Reiterating strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism which constitutes a persistent threat to regional and international peace and security, and one that is becoming increasingly dispersed and complex; Highlighting the resolution adopted by consensus in the 122nd Assembly of the Interparliamentary Union held in April 2010 about the shared cooperation and responsibility in the worldwide fight against organized crime, specifically drug traffic, illegal sale of weapons, human trafficking which urges the national parliaments to adopt a legislation that considers more severe punishments for corruption and organized crime; Reaffirming the United Nations Global Counter - Terrorism Strategy adopted on September 8, 2006 and striving for its comprehensive implementation in an integrated manner including in the Asia-Pacific region; Reaffirming the need to enhance the role of international, regional and subregional organizations in implementation of coordinated and multidimensional counter-terrorism measures; Reaffirming grave concern that more than 15,000 foreign terrorist fighters from over 80 countries have travelled to join or fight for terrorist entities and recognizing that the threat of terrorism is expanding in new ways including the abuse of the Internet for recruitment purposes and radicalization, consequently new responses and approaches are required; Recognizing that terrorism is facilitated by other transnational crimes, including drug and arms trafficking, corruption, money laundering, cybercrime, wildlife trafficking and piracy, which can be used in direct support of this scourge, in particular as a funding source, resulting in death, displaced people and refugees; Welcoming the valuable work and substantial contribution being made by all the counter-terrorism organizations to strengthen the coordination and effectiveness of international counter-terrorism efforts; 31

Recognizing the interdependent nature of challenges posed by illicit drug production and trafficking, noting that production levels are rising in some countries; Noting the significance of assistance rendered by the international community, international and regional organizations as well as non-governmental organizations, within the scope of their competencies, and civil societies to the countries of the region in reducing illicit drug production and trade; Convinced that parliaments are uniquely placed to enable and add momentum to improving national legislation on preventing and combating terrorism and other transnational crimes; Mindful of the need to strengthen regional counter-terrorism cooperation as well as cooperation to combat transnational organized crime; Recognizing that international cooperation, protection of the rule of law and respect for international law are mechanisms for achieving peace, security and peaceful coexistence among peoples. RESOLVES TO: 1. Condemn terrorism, international organized crime and violence in all its forms and to renew the commitment to combat them through joint actions and urge all States to accelerate their accession to and effective implementation of the United Nations counter-terrorism conventions and protocols; 2. Call on all States to implement effectively United Nations Security Council counterterrorism-related resolutions, including 2178 on foreign terrorist fighters; taking into account specific national situation and legislation; 3. Call on all APPF Parliaments to strengthen inter-parliamentary regional and international cooperation to improve the national and international legal basis for preventing and combating terrorism; 4. Call on all States to implement fully Security Council Resolution 2178 which recognizes that a comprehensive approach to defeat terrorism is required involving national, regional, subregional and multilateral action; taking into account specific national situation and legislation; 5. Call on States to help build capacity of other States where necessary and upon request, to address the threat posed by terrorism; 6. Encourage the APPF Member States to use education as an effective means of promoting respect for life and the values of moderation, 32

nonviolence and mutual understanding, including programs to empower youth, families, women, cultural and education leaders, and all other concerned groups of civil society and adopt tailored approaches to promote social inclusion and cohesion; 7. Urge the APPF Parliaments to enhance information exchange on national legislation related to preventing and combating terrorism and other transnational crimes as well as monitoring implementation; 8. Call on States that have not yet done so to ratify or accede to the relevant international conventions, such as the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto, and the United Nations Convention against Corruption; 9. Recognize the need to deny criminals and criminal organizations the proceeds of their crimes and call upon all States within their national legal systems to adopt effective mechanisms for the seizure, restraint and confiscation of proceeds of crime and to strengthen international cooperation to ensure effective and prompt asset recovery; 10. Promote the protection of persons against the risk of becoming victims of all forms of violence, discrimination and exploitation especially of displaced individuals and asylum seekers; 11. Call on all States to further strengthen regional and international cooperation to combat wildlife trafficking and wildlife-related crimes; 12. Stress the need for increased regional and international cooperation in countering the global threat posed by illicit drug production, drug consumption and drug trafficking, comprehensive and integrated manner; 13. Call on all States to adopt measures to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism, including enhancing the effectiveness of States´ domestic antimony laundering and counter-terrorism financing regimes; 14. Urge all APPF Member States to advocate the principle of Moderation as an important value and a common approach to counter all forms of extremism and to promote dialogue, mutual respect, tolerance and understanding; 15. Promote respect of international law and cooperation between the states as mechanisms needed to build trust, to maintain peace, security and harmonious coexistence between nations. Quito, January 14th, 2015 33

23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Ecuador ASIA PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION Noting the increasing importance of the Countries in the Asia Pacific Region; Aware of the rich cultural diversity in the Asia Pacific Region; Recognizing the important institutional and social experience of each of the Parliaments represented in this forum; Aware of the importance of the Parliaments in building standards that allow the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of effective public policies; Understanding that inter-parliamentary cooperation provides a framework for promoting peaceful relations among the people inhabiting the Asia Pacific Region;

RESOLVES TO:

1. Strength mechanisms for inter-parliamentary cooperation on matters of common interest; 2. Encourage APPF Parlamentarians Members to strengthen interparliamentary cooperation for the exchange of knowledge and experiences; 3. Encourage all eligible Asian Pacific Region States to participate in this forum; 4. Encourage the Parliaments of the APPF to implement and follow up the resolutions of this forum; 5. Invite the APPF Member States to support the work of this Forum. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Chile and Micronesia RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE Considering with great concern the anticipated impacts on the global climate system described in the contribution made by the Work Group One to produce the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; Referring to the fact that Climate Change presents significant threats to the achievement of the MDG´s and post 2015 development agenda and also has irreversible potential consequences for human societies, the future generations and the planet; Acknowledging the urgency and importance of adopting a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the UNFCCC applicable to all Parties to the Convention at its twenty-first session and for it to come into effect and be implemented from 2020; Bearing in mind that the continuous emission of Greenhouse Effect Gases (GHG) is the primary cause of a greater warming effect and of the changes in all of the components of the climate system, and that stopping the Climate Change requires substantial and constant reductions of GHG emissions; Considering that even with a zero level of net emissions in the immediate future, the global warming phenomenon will continue its effect in the future due to the high levels of accumulated concentrations of GHG; Drawing attention to the fact that the predictions made by the IPCC which are based on rigorous analyses of different climate models, not always can assess, in its true dimension, the synergies amongst the different variables that take part in the evolution of the climate; Emphasizing the urgent need to take effective and sustainable global measures to deal with the Climate Change and to implement local and nationwide adapting measures to fight, even partially, the effects caused by the Climate Change; Acknowledging the role of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as the main forum to talk about Climate Change; Acknowledging with appreciation that the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) held in Peru in December 2014 underscored its commitment to reach an agreement in 2015 that reflects the principle of common but differentiated 35

responsibilities and circumstances;

respective

capabilities,

in

light

of

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Acknowledging the problems the different countries are facing not only regarding the coordination of their policies and efforts aimed at reaching a global binding agreement to change: current energy production patterns, current consumption patterns, industrial plants technologies but also to carry out other actions in the short and long term that involve large economic investment and the development of new technology; Highlighting the role of the incentives, including market mechanisms, can make the advance possible in order to replace the high Green House Effect Gasses (GHG) technologies with new technologies based on renewable and efficient energy; Noting the human and economic effect that may be the result of climate change; Noting that safety, health and welfare of the APPF Member States and people of the Asia Pacific region and other parts of the world can benefit from effective measures that can reduce the GHG worldwide; Realizing the need for APPF Member States and other Nations to assume their responsibilities both towards their own people and towards humankind and to move forward and honor their commitments; Valuing the importance of regional cooperation at different levels and the information exchange to face climate change through international cooperation initiatives. RESOLVES TO: 1. Urge all APPF Member States to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions consistent with relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Lima Peru in 2014; 2. Exhort APPF Members States to work together inside the UNFCCC, to develop a protocol another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the 3. UNFCCC applicable to all Parties; 4. Encourage all APPF Member States to start preparing their contributions for 2015; 5. Boost initiatives inside our own parliaments that could complement the UNFCCC 6. Framework Convention; 36

7. Support to the strengthening of the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) in the developing countries within the sustainable development framework; 8. Encourage the sharing of practical experiences of domestic mitigation actions to reduce emissions; 9. Call the governments of the region to support sustainable development policies and consider innovative models of international cooperation to reach sustainable development; 10. Work towards a new agreement on Climate Change through our parliamentary work to stimulate adaptation actions; 11. Work towards improving clean developing mechanisms; 12. Welcome the decision to set the Warsaw International Mechanism for loss and damage under the Cancun Adaptation Framework; 13. Implement an inter-parliamentary communication mechanism to exchange information, successful legal experiences and knowledge that could provide the proper and timely elements in response to Climate Change, amongst others, to our own domestic legislative bodies to promote stronger coordination efforts and eventually the progress during their normalization processes. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Canada COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING Committed to the goals of peaceful development, prosperity, regional cooperation, constructive dialogue and mutual respect, and determined to safeguard the security, dignity and freedom of our peoples; Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, as well as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; Further recalling the previous resolutions of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) on human trafficking, organized crime and corruption, poverty eradication, women’s empowerment and parliamentary regional cooperation; Highlighting the crucial importance of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; Expressing concern that millions of women, children and men world-wide are forced to perform degrading, dehumanizing work in conditions akin to slavery; Taking note that human trafficking occurs internationally and within national borders for a variety of purposes, including sexual exploitation, labour exploitation and organ trafficking; Aware that the social, economic and other drivers of migration – including armed conflict, crises, disasters, weak governance, poverty, insecurity, corruption and discrimination – also make people vulnerable to human trafficking; Emphasizing the connection between human trafficking and other organized criminal activities; Reiterating that trafficking impairs the enjoyment of victims’ human rights and exposes them to exploitation and violence from criminal networks; Recognizing the need to provide birth registration and other relevant documents to lower individuals’ risk of being trafficked and to identify trafficked persons; 38

Mindful that the principle of the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration in all policies, actions and decisions affecting trafficked children; Recognizing the important role of parliamentarians in raising awareness and in legislating to combat human trafficking; RESOLVES TO: 1. Strongly urge APPF Member States that have not yet done so to consider ratifying the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, and urges all APPF Member States to use all necessary parliamentary means to ensure full compliance with this international protocols; 2. Call on APPF Member States to take the necessary measures to criminalize all forms of trafficking in domestic legislation, to fully implement relevant international standards, to impose effective and proportionate penalties on human traffickers, and to adopt measures to ensure the integrity and security of passports and other travel documents; 3. Ensure that trafficked children are treated in accordance with the best interests of the child; 4. Call on APPF Member States to collectively identify avenues for cooperation related to the detection, investigation and prosecution of human traffickers; 5. Draw attention to the emergence of new forms of exploitation in complex emergencies, including crises, disasters and armed conflict; 6. Develop integrated, timely and effective humanitarian responses at the national, regional and international levels to meet the immediate protection needs of populations vulnerable to trafficking in complex emergency situations; 7. Encourage APPF Member States, international and regional organizations, and the private sector to adopt policies aimed at preventing their operations and personnel from contributing to exploitative situations where goods are produced or services obtained through trafficking in persons; 8. Urge APPF Member States to undertake specialized training for law enforcement and border security personnel and to strengthen anti-trafficking enforcement, in order to improve the prevention, detection, disruption and dismantling of trafficking networks, while also encouraging increased criminal prosecutions of suspected traffickers; 39

9. Highlight the importance of building capacity within national judiciaries regarding the application of anti-trafficking legislation and appropriate procedures for victim protection and monitoring; 10. Encourage APPF Member States and parliaments to consider ways to improve existing legislative and policy frameworks to respond to the commission of human trafficking offences, as well as sexual exploitation and abuse, using the Internet and electronic communications; 11. Further urge APPF Member States to use financial enforcement mechanisms to combat human trafficking, including by improving the ability of anti-money-laundering authorities to identify financial activities associated with trafficking and strengthening the capacity of national mechanisms to trace, freeze and confiscate the proceeds of trafficking; 12. Call on APPF Member States to distinguish trafficked persons from the perpetrators of this offence, and from other migrants, to ensure that trafficked persons have access to appropriate and necessary assistance, that they are treated with dignity and full respect for their human rights; 13. Encourage APPF Member States and parliaments to consider ways to improve the support and protections available for trafficked persons during criminal prosecutions, and to take steps to provide for the safety of victims’ immediate family members, including through appropriate cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies; 14. Encourage states to ensure that trafficked persons have access to housing, counselling and information about their legal rights, medical, psychological and material assistance, as well as employment, education and training opportunities, as required under international law, and regardless of their participation in any criminal prosecution; 15. Recommend that APPF Member States and parliaments support training programs for social workers, health care workers, labour inspectors, other government workers and community leaders who may come into contact with trafficked persons, and that APPF Members States encourage the public and private sectors to train personnel to identify and respond appropriately to suspected instances of human trafficking; 16. Request that APPF Member States take appropriate measures to permit trafficked persons to remain in their country of destination, temporarily or permanently, and, where appropriate, to assist them to return safely to their countries of origin;

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17. Urge APPF Member States and parliaments to integrate age and gendersensitive approaches into all anti-trafficking efforts, including by improving the collection of reliable data that is disaggregated by sex and by age, in order to facilitate the identification and analysis of the nature, extent and risk factors of trafficking; 18. Call on APPF Member States to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of women and girls, and in particular, to combat all forms of violence against women and girls, as well as child, early and forced marriage; 19. Encourage APPF Member States to engage with a broad range of groups and stakeholders in developing, examining and implementing anti-trafficking plans and policies, including women, indigenous peoples, minorities and other vulnerable groups, industry associations, labour organizations, community groups, and nongovernmental organizations that work with trafficked persons; 20. Enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation related to the implementation of international, regional and sub-regional commitments to combat human trafficking; 21. Call on APPF Member States to take all possible measures to combat modern day Slavery. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Korea, Indonesia, Canada, Australia RESOLUTION ON CYBER SECURITY AND RIGHT TO PRIVACY Recalling the Busan Declaration on the Future Role of Telecommunications / ICTs adopted at the Ministerial Meeting of ICT in Busan, Korea, in October 2014; Highlighting the importance of the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society to ensure stability and security of the Internet and ensure the legitimacy that requires its governance, based on the participation of all stakeholders; Reaffirming that the same rights that people have outside internet must be protected when they are connected to the network, as established by resolution A / HRC / 20 / L.131 June 2012 and A / HRC / RES / 26 / 132 June 2014 the United Nations Human Rights Council and the resolution A / C.3 / 68 / L.45 / Rev.13 November 2013, the UN General Assembly; Bearing in mind the fact that information and communication technologies are heavily used by children; increasing the risk of their exposure to exploitation, violence-related matters, and child pornography; and in this regard recalling the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; Recalling the 2010 UN General Assembly Resolution 65/230 on the importance of a comprehensive study on cybercrime; UN General Assembly Resolution 2011/33 on the prevention, protection and international cooperation against the use of new information technologies to abuse and/or exploit children; Highlighting the need for efforts to build a secure and reliable cyber space as cyber security problems arise as a result of rapid development and increasing dependence on information and communication technologies, or ICT; Acknowledging that cyberspace is abused for criminal and terrorist activities and that this is a critical problem that can cause serious damage not only to property but also the loss of human lives and agreeing that anonymity and interconnectivity in cyberspace present major challenges in taking appropriate measures to combat the abuse of cyber space for cyberattacks crimes and cyber terrorism; Recognizing that it is not a desirable approach for the government alone to address cyber threats, since most internet infrastructure is privately owned; 42

Noting that the existing digital divide between countries hinders efforts to ensure a safe and reliable cyberspace; Aware of the borderless nature of cyber space, the individual efforts of a country to address the problems of cyber security are not sufficient; Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights determines that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation;Taking into account the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly A / RES / 68/167 of January 21, 2014 on the right to privacy in the digital age, adopted by the General Assembly on December 18, 2013, which provides for the protection and promotion of the right to privacy; Aware of the need to ensure the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), and other applicable international human rights agreements that reaffirm every person's right to defend their opinions without interference, as well as freedom of expression, which includes freedom to seek, obtain and communicate information and ideas of all kinds, as well as the right to privacy; and together with the OECD that issued a series of standards for the safety of information systems in 1992, aimed at the creation of bases for the states and the private sector to build a security framework for information systems; Referring to Resolution a 22 / RES-03 on Cooperation in the fight against organized crime and the implementation of new policies on drugs, adopted at the 22nd Annual Meeting in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where the need to deal with traditional and nontraditional threats that pose several risks for peace and stability, such as terrorism, the conflict of territorial sovereignty and the risks of cybercrime that must be addressed with an innovative regional approach were discussed; Recalling Joint Ministerial Statement (Joint Ministerial Statement), in particular Annex A "APEC Statement on Promoting the Use of Interoperable Global Data Standards" ("APEC Statement on Promoting the Use of Interoperable Global Data Standards") issued in Beijing, on November 8, 2014, on the 22nd Annual Meeting of Ministers of APEC Economies, which states that as the relevance of transactions increases, both of governments and of the private sector, the importance of ensuring that the systems of key players are interoperable also increases; therefore, it appreciates the efforts to achieve a dialogue on policies aimed at global standards for computer data; Recalling also Annex F "APEC Initiative of Cooperation to Promote Internet Economy" (APEC Initiative of Cooperation to Promote Internet Economy) to Joint Ministerial Statement of the 22nd Annual Meeting of APEC Ministers held in recent years, the ICTs were integrated into traditional industries turning them into a new, more integrated economic ecosystem, thus these technologies facilitate trade, 43

access to information, which empowers consumers; and improve opportunities for small and medium companies as well as individual entrepreneurs; Aware of the need to ensure that the same rights that people enjoy offline must also be protected online; Recognizing that lawful surveillance, subject to appropriate safeguards within legal processes duly established and oversight, may be an important tool in support of the duty of governments to ensure the safety and security of their citizens, and to protect the human rights of persons in their territory and subject to their jurisdiction; Concerned, however, that unlawful mass surveillance of online communications could violate the right to privacy, of individuals or of the sovereignty and security of states and could interfere with freedom of expression; Interested in establishing mechanisms to share experiences and knowledge to tackle cybercrime and espionage; Convinced that the reality described calls to defend human rights, civil liberties, to foster regional and national independence in the provision of telecommunications services and internet, as well as the defense of international law and the principle of network neutrality; RESOLVES TO: 1. Urge the nations to promote legislative action or public policies to reject and inhibit espionage and mass surveillance that violate the Human Rights and violates International Law and threatens the economy and markets independence and affect international relations and respect among States; 2. Promote cooperation between the public and private sectors to share the cyber security strategy defined by governments and international organizations and formulate measures in terms of technology and management, and sharing best practices among countries; 3. Strengthen measures to protect individual freedom and privacy and to improve cooperation between governments, agencies concerned, private companies and civil society to counter cyberattacks and crimes, and request a strong partnership for technology support and capacity building to combat cybercrimes; 4. Encourage member states to share ICTs where practicable and help with capacity building efforts through the strengthening of human talent to achieve best practices in cyber security and training programs to protect key information and communications infrastructure; 44

5. Invite member states to develop a mechanism that allows taking joint action to deal with cyber security problems; 6. Reaffirm the commitment of member countries of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum to respect human rights at all levels, especially those related to privacy, freedom of expression including in the digital environment; 7. Urge the APPF Member States to have and adjust where necessary efficient legal regulations to provide whistleblowers appropriate means to report wrongdoing within government, including illegal activity that violates civil rights; 8. Strengthen where necessary mechanisms and powers of parliamentary oversight over the activities of the intelligence services to ensure that they are always kept under the law; 9. Promote regional agreements and framework laws that ensure that the powers of national intelligence agencies respect international laws in this regard; 10. Strengthen cooperation among governments, concerned agencies, private companies and the civil society to counter cyberattacks, crimes and cyber terrorism, and request a strong partnership for technology support and capacity building to combat cybercrimes and cyber terrorism; 11. Promote a legal framework that allows the internet to be free of cyberattacks; 12. Promote the use of free software where practical, which allows encrypting communication and technology design, thus incorporating safeguards for the privacy of users in the countries of the Asia Pacific region; 13. Encourage establishment for a regional consensus for defining and classifying the behaviors of information and cybercrime to legislate as necessary to ensure the protection of society against crimes. And promote the creation of an International Agency to fight cybercrime. And ensure relevant enforcement agencies and the Judicial Systems properly skilled in ICTs; 14. Call upon APPF Member States to establish laws and regulations protecting minors from becoming victims of cybercrime; 15. Emphasize the importance of strengthening regional and bilateral cooperation through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) in criminal matters. 45

23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Australia, Japan, Chile, Mexico and Ecuador RESOLUTION ON DISASTER PREVENTION Recalling the particular vulnerability of the Asia-Pacific region to natural disasters and the large number of recent natural disasters in our region; Noting that the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) is an organization that seeks to identify and discuss issues of regional interest and concern, with the aim of promoting them in a global context; Recalling that the APPF Member States encourages and promotes regional cooperation at all levels on issues of common interest with a sense of cohesion, understanding and coordination; Recalling the particular vulnerability of the Asia Pacific region to natural disasters and the differentiated influence of the Pacific Plate, Nazca, Ring of Fire impacts, volcanic threats, tsunamis and El Niño – Southern Oscillation, among others; Recognizing that investing in reducing risk and improving economic and social disaster resistance not only provides a comprehensive response to save lives, but also promotes sustainable socio-economic development; Recognizing the substantial contributions of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015 to the formulation of strategies and policies to reduce disaster risk, eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and implement a sustainable and inclusive development; Appreciating that the ongoing process that seeks to establish a post-2015 global framework on the commitments to be adopted in the Post-Hyogo 2015 United Nations Conference on risk reduction to be held in Sendai-Japan; Recognizing that the economic losses, damages from disasters and their impact on development tend to be exacerbated by current development patterns; Recognizing the contributions of the Global Campaign "Developing Resilient Cities: My City is Getting Ready", so that societies are able to manage and prevent natural disasters, minimizing damage, and, in the case they occur, have effective, timely and coordinated measures for emergency, recovery and reconstruction;

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Confirming that the international community should cooperate to the substantial reduction of disaster losses, in lives and in social, economic, cultural and environmental assets; Noting that governments in the Asia-Pacific region, with the support of parliamentarians, have made significant progress in their legal frameworks to effectively influence the disaster risk reduction; Stressing the importance of Asia-Pacific parliamentary cooperation in the mitigation of natural disasters, due to increasingly important role played by international and regional parliamentary organizations in social and humanitarian areas; RESOLVES TO: 1. Call upon governments at all levels in the Asia-Pacific region to prioritize measures incorporating disaster risk reduction in their public policies, allocating adequate financial resources for this purpose; 2. Encourage Parliamentarians from the Asia-Pacific region to formulate national laws designed to regulate and coordinate prevention and response to the affected population in case of disasters; 3. Encourage Parliamentarians from the Asia-Pacific region to in turn encourage their governments and UN agencies, to conduct risk reduction strategies, exchange of technology, establishment of early warning systems and rapid response mechanisms, and to update the Risk Atlas, among others; 4. Appeal to Member States to expand mutual cooperation in disaster risk reduction as stated in the "Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015", as well as dealt with regional cooperation frameworks such as APEC, ASEAN, the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the Trilateral Japan-China-ROK, and welcomes as well the initiative of Japan in hosting the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in March 2015 in Sendai; 5. Appeal to Member States to work toward adoption of the new Global Framework Post-2015 to be presented in Sendai, to ensure the generation of resilience to disasters that is participatory, inclusive, accountable and effective in our region. This new framework will consider progress and challenges in implementing policies disaster risk management at the regional and sectorial levels, and propose the necessary adjustments; 6. Urge the countries of the region - through their governments, parliamentary systems, universities, research centers and scientific technical institutes - to 47

work in an integrated way and to collaborate in the reduction of information gaps and the improvement of the analysis and characterization of threats; 7. State that protecting essential services, particularly schools and hospitals, is a major social priority; 8. Affirm the importance of clearly positioning disaster risk reduction in the post-2015 development agenda in order to mainstream disaster risk reduction. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, Russia and Ecuador ECONOMY AND TRADE Noting the Resolution on Economy and Trade which was adopted in the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum in January 2014, the “G20 Leaders’ Communiqué” of the G20 Brisbane Summit in November 2014, and the outcome of the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in November 2014; Affirming that the world economy as a whole is experiencing a weak recovery and that pressures on the financial system pose downside risks; Reconfirming that our priority task is supporting sustainable and balanced economic growth both in the region and the world as a whole and ensuring the effectiveness of the international financial regulatory and supervisory system; Confirming some protectionist measures in trade and investment can negatively influence the world economy, at a time of heightened tensions and significant downside risks for the global economy; Welcoming each country’s commitment toward realizing stability of growth, employment and financial markets in international meetings such as the G20 Summit and the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting; Recognizing that the ultimate end of economic development must be the improved well-being of all people and the need to promote sustainable development and overcome problems such as poverty, exclusion, social inequality, food security and environmental pollution; Recognizing the need for a people-centered approach to international development; Supportive of recent governments reform efforts in the international financial institutions. RESOLVES TO: 1. Urge Parliaments of APPF Member States to the extent of their legislative powers to carry out an ongoing assessment of international trade instruments, with a view to promote equality of opportunities within and between Member States; 49

2. Call upon countries to continue to implement effective fiscal and financial policies in order to respond to downside risks and ensure the stability of economies and employment; 3. Call upon the APPF Member States concerned to implement the individual and collective infrastructure investment, competition, trade and employment policy actions and other structural reforms as outlined in the G20 Brisbane Action Plan to achieve an additional 2% global growth by 2018; 4. Encourage the Parliaments of the region to promote the exchange of practices and experiences in matters of cooperation and sustainable development, focused on strengthening the different national legislation in these fields; 5. Confirm that Member States should exchange views on the occasion of the annual meetings of the APPF aiming at policy co-ordination in the region, and continue to oversee policy in each country in order to correct imbalances in economies and monetary and financial markets and thus ensure their soundness; 6. Encourage APPF Member States to commit themselves to the fight against negative protectionism measures and to complete the Doha Round negotiations in order to facilitate economic growth through free trade and investment; 7. Reaffirm the commitment made in the Bogor Declaration which was adopted by the APEC Leaders in 1994, to achieving the long-term goal of free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, recognize significant progress toward achieving the goal, and hope for the full achievement of the goal by all APEC economies by 2020; 8. Call upon all the economies within APEC and those who wish to take part to continue taking concrete steps toward realization of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) initiated at the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in November 2014 as a means not only to further promote regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region, but also to complement and to strengthen the multilateral trading system based on the WTO in a transparent and globally beneficial way; 9. Affirm that the recent announcement by EAS leaders of the launch of negotiations towards a Regional Closer Economic Partnership current efforts is an important step in this direction along with other regional economic integration processes including the Trans Pacific Partnership; 10. Emphasize that efforts toward the realization of trade liberalization according to national regulations and economic integration ought to be 50

made and the need to facilitate such activities as improvement of trade rules related to intellectual property rights and investment, implementation of good practices of regulation, food security and environmental protection; 11. Foster a democratic knowledge based economy that provides opportunities for technical and scientific capability construction within an environment that favors innovation, regional connectivity and respect towards intellectual property rights, through collaboration among government and academia; 12. Encourage APPF members to foster the participation of small and medium enterprises, and social and solidarity economic organizations, in regional markets and invest in human capital development; 13. Encourage businesses to utilize bilateral and regional trade agreements and Member States to explain the benefits and opportunities they provide through domestic outreach programs. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, and Ecuador EDUCATION, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Reaffirming Resolution APPF 22 / RES-20 on the promotion of cooperation in education, culture, science and technology in the Asia Pacific region, adopted at the 22nd Annual Meeting in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, by the APPF Member States; Adamant that access to quality education and the benefits of advances in technology are fundamental rights for humanity; Supporting the efforts of the APPF Members States to pursue sustainable and effective cooperation regarding education, culture, science and technology, to be able to promote sustainable development, as well as innovation, participation and social inclusion, to finally achieve the prosperity and welfare of the people; Aware that education, culture, scientific research and technological investigation are the cornerstone for the development and economic growth of nations; Considering the resolution of the UN General Assembly A / Res / 65/166, adopted on December 20, 2010, about Culture and Development, which emphasizes the importance of culture and its contribution to the achievement of the Millennium development Goals and their integration into policies and development strategies; Highlighting the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted on October 20, 2005, which identifies culture and development as critical topics and stresses the rights of all states to enact their own cultural policies, to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions and allow the international cooperation for development by strengthening cultural industries; Considering the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, adopted on November 2, 2001, which recommended the establishment of cultural policies to ensure the free flow of ideas and work, thus promoting the introduction of measures that would create the right conditions for production and dissemination of diversified cultural property by local, regional and global cultural industries; Recalling the commitment of the Vancouver Declaration to establish a "Comprehensive Joint Research Centre" on culture and education in the Asia – Pacific region and the importance of promoting the exchange of scholars between universities and research institutes, aimed at generating joint research projects for the benefit of the countries of the region; 52

Considering the Bonn Declaration by the UNESCO - NEVOC on Education and the Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) adopted on 28 October 2004 and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary General Assembly (AIPA) in September 2014; it is globally recognized that the vast majority of the workforce require knowledge, technical and professional skills throughout life, to increase efficiency; contribute to economic and social transformation towards sustainable development of a country, with emphases on education for sustainable development as a critical topic of learning in the XXI century; Considering the resolution adopted at the Sixth Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum, which encourages cooperation among member countries on education and encourages governments to adopt and support exchange programs, aimed to promote joint research projects between universities and research institutes as well as motivate higher education institutes in their respective countries to provide a comprehensive program of educational assistance to young people; Bearing in mind the APPF21 / RES-13 resolutions on Scientific and Educational Cooperation in the Asia Pacific and APPF21 / RES-11 on Dialogue among Civilizations, Cultural Promotion, Educational and Humanitarian Contacts, Standardization Policies for Youth and Migration Processes adopted at the 21st Annual Meeting of the APPF which emphasize the educational and cultural exchange between the youth of APPF Member States; Given the Ministerial Declaration of Dhaka on "Diversity of Cultural Expressions", developed in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2012, focusing on the integration of culture in national policies, the promotion of cultural and creative industries, gathering and sharing information and promoting the participation of civil society in the process of decision making; In view of the Quebec Declaration of February 3, 2011, that declares that progress towards more democratic societies, growing economies and social equity, depend on an educated citizenry and a skilled workforce; in which a number of policies were agreed to improve access to quality education through the training of teachers on civic values and the use of information technologies both in classrooms and in assessment programs, the achievement of better educational policies and a greater investment in our education systems will help reduce income disparities and close the technological division in our hemisphere; Recognizing the important role of civil society, academia and voluntary groups to promote "Education for All" and support for practical measures to mobilize civil society, including capacity building, opportunities and framework for cooperation; Considering the contribution of the media and new communication technologies to promote the education of youth;

information

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RESOLVES TO: 1. Guarantee the rights of citizens to quality education that provides knowledge, values, skills and competencies for sustainable living, development sustainable participation and social inclusion, to achieve the welfare of the people; 2. Consolidate a policy framework for education, culture, science and technology with adequate budget allocation among member countries; 3. Call to take action to guarantee the inclusive education, promotion of an active multilateral cooperation in cultural, science, and technology topics, promote continuous improvement of quality education; also to promote intercultural dialogues to build mutual understanding among nations in order to maintain peace and stability; 4. Create tools for the promotion, exchange and protection of the mobility of researchers, teachers, youth organizations and students in areas of education, culture, research, science and technology; supporting any public or private initiative to improve member states relationship for the development of research, science and technology transfer; as well as management and government support for scholarships, exchanges and internships at universities and institutes of member countries; 5. Increase the mobility of students, researchers and education providers, and promote virtual academic mobility through the use of internet-based resources and innovative learning practices; 6. Promote the creation of knowledge networks and exchange of technology between research and training, with special emphasis on the development of projects for rural and marginal urban sectors in member countries; 7. Promote social development, to reduce poverty and inequality through policies that strengthen local and regional cultural industries and develop training programs for cultural entrepreneurs; as well as promoting policies and programs that offer citizens the knowledge and skills to understand and develop the interests of the diverse cultural and linguistic expressions and strengthen bilateral, regional and international cooperation to create conditions to allow the promotion of cultural diversity with respect for the sovereignty of countries; to promote international cultural events; 8. Consider ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage as a commitment to recognize the importance of cultural preservation; and, to promote respect to its own cultural heritage and that of all nations; 54

9. Condemn the wanton destruction of cultural heritage property wherever it may occur; 10. Raise public awareness of the protection of cultural heritages against the risk of theft, clandestine excavation, and illicit export; and to ensure that museum, libraries, and other national institutions in their respective territories do not possess illicit ownership of cultural property. To also encourage voluntary restitution of cultural property and to return artifacts and manuscripts to the country of origin; 11. Respect cultural rights of the indigenous communities; 12. Enhance the practices of knowledge sharing on policies, systems and effective programs in the integration and promotion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, in labor markets, adopt policies and strategies to upgrade labor skills; 13. Urge the international exchange of practices and successful experiences in the implementation of public policies aimed at knowledge management, science, technology, innovation, culture and education of children and young people, as well as provide support for States that wish to take action implementing this policies. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Canada, Chile, Ecuador and Malaysia FACING EBOLA AND OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN A COORDINATED MANNER FOR THE PREVENTION OF EMERGENCIES AND HEALTH DISASTERS Whereas in the past year the Earth has experienced the most significant, serious and complex epidemic of the Ebola virus since the disease is known, in which the number of cases and deaths reported surpasses by far previous outbreaks and in which, for the first time, the virus appears in areas different from those in which it was traditionally confined; Recalling that in recent years the international community has faced various infectious pathogens that have the ability to affect the life and health of a large proportion of the population, and the potential to generate alerts for global public health emergencies; Emphasizing that to monitor the progress of the Ebola outbreak, unprecedented urgent action and deep collaboration and cooperation at national, regional and international levels are needed, including among the APPF Member States; Noting that the statement issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) after a series of meetings of the Emergency Committee on International Health Regulations (IHR) regarding the Ebola outbreak in 2014 in West Africa, mentions the outbreak continued to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC); Stressing that the expansion of the Ebola virus as well as other infectious agents, is strongly influenced, among other factors, by poor basic public health infrastructure in many countries; generated by: a deficiency in physical and health infrastructure, insufficient trained health personnel and a lack of investment in research on diseases affecting mainly less developed countries; Noting with concern the devastating effects that these epidemics cause in the life and health of thousands of people, and the impact that these outbreaks have on the social and economic development of countries and their potential negative effects on a global scale; Being aware that new disaster threats faced by the international community, among which are epidemics and the emergence of new emerging forms of disease, from which the Members States of this Forum are not isolated, should be addressed timely, jointly and in a coordinated manner, which requires to be 56

maintained over time, and even if these threats are not present, a common agenda that prioritizes their attention for a rapid, coordinated and consistent response to them; Appreciating the work and efforts done by many APPF Member States in this area as well as the contribution of the World Health Organization, as the direct coordinating authority on international health, and the commitment and spirit of global solidarity shown by relief workers who risked their lives to fight the outbreak in the front; Appreciating that disaster management and administration, including health disasters, has been a constant concern of Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, a result of which are the multiple resolutions adopted to that effect. RESOLVES TO: 1. Reaffirm our political commitment and solidarity to join efforts that respond to Ebola outbreak in West Africa and urge APPF Member States to collectively embrace their responsibility to urgently support the affected countries in coping with health crises of this kind and providing essential resources, human resources and capacities to ensure effective control of the current outbreak; 2. Raise awareness in the international community that all countries are at risk of facing a public health emergency because of the spread of infectious diseases, including those considered developed countries with high living standards and strong health systems; this requires improving overall responsibility for capacity building in public health and working jointly and in close collaboration with specialized agencies, the scientific community and other related groups; 3. Encourage APPF Member States and relevant United Nations organizations, especially the World Health Organization to continue working collaboratively in the development and implementation of strategies and programs for prevention and control of epidemics and infectious diseases; 4. Request the governments of APPF Member States to periodically assess the state of national readiness of programs for early detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases and the state of its basic health infrastructure and to make all efforts within their scope for improvement where necessary; 5. Request APPF Member States to carry out all necessary efforts to give full effect and applicability to the International Health Regulations of disease, within their internal regulations systems;

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6. Urge APPF Member States to expand mutual cooperation in capacity building in public health by improving communication channels, avoiding stigmatization and fear, strengthening epidemic surveillance and alert and responses to new outbreaks; 7. Recommend APPF Member States to carry out outreach and training activities, both among health professionals and among the civilian population, facilitating adequate information on these diseases and reacting appropriately to these threats; 8. Call upon APPF Member States to collaborate closely in the fight against these diseases, promoting further research in this area, encouraging investment in this area and encouraging the development of new vaccines or other treatments available at low cost, in order to fight against them; 9. Urge APPF Member States to work on a joint protocol to combat emergencies caused by the Ebola virus at all borders, entry and exit points to countries. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Malaysia GLOBAL FLIGHT TRACKING FOR CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AND SECURITY Recalling Malaysia’s tragedy on the loss of Boeing 777 flight MH370 that disappeared from the radar on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on 8 March 2014; Noting on the contents of RESOLUTION COM5/1 (Busan, 2014) pertaining to Global flight tracking for civil aviation presented in Busan Korea, 2014 on the requirement for deliberation of satellite services to be pursued and considered at the next WRC-15; Acknowledging the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has forged consensus among its Member States and the international air transport industry at a Special Meeting on Global Flight Tracking of Aircraft in May 2014; Recognizing that the incident is unprecedented and has been a challenge for global aviation and ICAO has established a framework for near-term priority, future, medium and long-term tracking efforts; Reiterating the importance of an inclusive approach in keeping track of the realtime flight data for ongoing global flight tracking for civil aviation safety and security; Further reiterate the encouragement from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to place the issue of Global Flight Tracking in the Agenda for the upcoming ITU World Radio communication Conference 2015; Reaffirming that global discussion on global flight tracking for civil aviation safety and security would require further manifestation in ensuring that all countries abide by the standards on global flight tracking for civil aviation safety and security made available for commercial aircrafts in real time; RESOLVES TO: 1. Deem it expedient that all APPF Member States fully support the requirements for telecommunication standards in enabling an “aviation cloud” for real time monitoring of global flight data including those for the protection, security and ownership of flight data and the technical mechanisms and policies to govern access of these data; 59

2. Stand united by all APPF Member States in accepting the Agenda brought forward by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the ITU World Radio communication Conference on the Global Flight Tracking for Civil Aviation safety and security; 3. Encourage the Director of the Radio communication Bureau to produce a specific report on the matter as resolved in the RESOLUTION COM5/1 (Busan, 2014) to the attention of WRC-15 and ICAO; 4. Focus on the establishment of a framework for enhancing cooperation on global flight tracking for civil aviation safety and security tasked on the ITU and in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for development of next generation of safety and security standards; 5. Encourage APPF Member States to consider an international endeavor in finding solutions to Global Flight Tracking for Civil Aviation safety and security by taking into consideration all initiatives in the current and future technological developments; 6. Encourage all APPF Member States, other countries and all commercial airlines to use the global flight tracking system for civil aviation safety and security. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Economic and Trade Committee Sponsored by: Malaysia “HALAL INDUSTRY AS A SOURCE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH” Taking note that “HALAL” is growing in recognition and is paving its way to becoming a new global market; Aware that Halal means activities which are in line with the principles and rules of Islamic law. With regards to Halal food, it is not only about slaughtering animals in accordance to Islamic law, but also about safety, reliability and quality assurance. Hence, it also represents hygiene, cleanliness and quality of the food consumed. Halal industry also encompasses services and industries such as textiles, finance and tourism which must be undertaken in accordance with Islamic principles and incorporated an ethical dimension in the global economy; The global Halal economy was valued at approximately USD3.2trillion in 2012 and this sector is forecasted to double to USD6.4trillion by the year 2018. Driving this is a combination of demand and supply factors, spearheading the market expansion of Halal products and services; Acknowledging that the Halal market is not limited to Muslim society alone. RESOLVES TO: 1. Call upon APPF Members States to consider the importance of the Halal Industry to their economies; 2. Seek cooperation amongst APPF Member States to promote the understanding of Halal as well as making Halal products and services more available globally to both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers; 3. Encourage all APPF Member States to streamline their regulatory frameworks which can facilitate the harmonization of policies and systems according to the Halal standards. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Canada, Chile, Ecuador and Malaysia HEALTH AND SOCIAL RIGHTS WITH GENDER ISSUES TO ACHIEVE GENDER EQUITY AND EQUALITY Whereas social rights, together with political, economic and cultural rights are part of the international human rights framework adopted by governments around the world; and that the adoption of these rights under national laws and policies are a key to achieving social justice element and inclusive social development; Whereas with the new international framework for development aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and its post-2015 agenda, parliaments have the opportunity to enact appropriate legislation guaranteeing the exercise of these rights, and to oversee other national policies and programs that develop and promote human rights, dignity, equality and equity especially with emphasis on women; Noting that although there has been progress in the Asia-Pacific region, we must continue to work to achieve equality, equity and justice for our societies, especially for women who still face major problems accessing full, productive and decent employment, and often suffer a greater degree of precarious employment, and without access to social security; Whereas women continue to die from preventable complications related to pregnancy, which are linked to deficiencies in access to quality sexual and reproductive health services; Whereas according to the World Health Organization, 35% of women in the world suffered some kind of domestic or sexual violence by third parties in some point of their lives; and 38% of murders of women were committed by their partner, and that these types of violence can provoke health, mental, sexual and reproductive problems and increase vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases; Whereas the linkages between population and economic growth and development play a key role in eradicating poverty and improving the quality of life for all people; Whereas universal health coverage is critical to improving the quality of life and is essential for economic growth and to bringing people out of poverty, specially women; Whereas it is desirable to guarantee universal health coverage and provide and promote integral health services, including sexual and reproductive health services, 62

in accordance with the principles of interculturality, precaution and bioethics principles, focusing on gender and age; Whereas the main international instruments adopted by governments around the world, particularly the Millennium Declaration of the United Nations (September 2000), and the Final Document of the 2005 World Summit, ILO Conventions No. 48, No. 118 and No. 157 and Recommendation No. 167 (ILO 2010). In addition, the Action Program (Cairo, 1994) of the ICPD and the key actions for further implementation, the Beijing Platform for Action (1995), Resolution 65/1 of the United Nations General Assembly on the Global Strategy for Women and Children's Health and the Stockholm Declaration of Commitment adopted at the ICPD conference IPCI in Sweden (April 2014); Whereas UNGA resolution / 67 / L.36, adopted in December 2012 by the United Nations entitled "Global Health and Foreign Policy", in which the role of health in achieving international development goals is recognized, calls on countries, civil society and international organizations to include in their respective agendas, plans, projects and policies to achieve universal health coverage; RESOLVES TO: 1. Participate in their respective parliaments, forums and other national and international activities aimed at emphasizing that new development agendas remain the guiding principles on human rights, with special emphasis on the inclusion of women; 2. Promote the increased allocation of resources towards gender issues and increased investment in social policies towards the empowerment of women; 3. Strive to achieve compliance with the commitments made by countries to enable financial mechanisms to support development and reach at least 0.7 percent of GDP to official development assistance; 4. Encourage the participation of all societal groups in the drafting of legislation and national development plans; 5. Call upon the APPF Member States to mobilize the political will in order to introduce policies to eliminate inequities and gender based violence against women as well as to continue working and investing in health systems and programs specifically targeted to women needs; 6. Promote gender equality and empower women and girls and to encourage full political participation of women;

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7. Promote the enactment and enforcement of laws to ensure economic and social empowerment of women through equal access and control of the means of production, technology and markets, including rights of inheritance; 8. Appeal to APPF Member States to strengthen and promote parliamentary networks at national, regional and global levels, to facilitate the exchange of best practices and strengthen the effectiveness of parliaments; 9. Appeal to APPF Member States to declare December 12 of each year, the Day of Universal Coverage of International Health to be a means of promoting actions to advance the achievement of universal health coverage. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Canada, Chile, Malaysia and Ecuador MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Committed to the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); Recognizing the substantial progress that has been made towards the eight MDGs; Encouraged that the MDG target on halving the number of people in the world living in absolute poverty has been achieved ahead of schedule; Committed to improving the health and quality of life of women, children and newborns; Underscoring that further action is needed to end preventable maternal, newborn and child mortality; Convinced that investing in healthy populations is the foundation for sustainable development; Further convinced that investing in women and children is vital for economic growth, including the eradication of poverty; Reiterating the goals and commitments of the G8 Muskoka Initiative, the UN Secretary General’s Every Woman Every Child movement and Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, and the recommendations of the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health; Recalling the “Healthy Asia-Pacific 2020” initiative, endorsed by the 22nd AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Declaration; Recalling the previous resolutions of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) on poverty eradication, youth participation in development, women’s empowerment, and parliamentary cooperation in relation to the MDGs and post2015 development agenda; Noting innovative partnerships and development financing mechanisms that have been established to address international health challenges, including the GAVI Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the new Global Financing Facility in Support of Every Woman, Every Child, managed by the World Bank; 65

Cognizant that the mobilization of national and international public and private sources of financing will be required to meet the international community’s sustainable development objectives, including those related to global health; Noting that the international community is in the process of determining the framework that will succeed the MDGs when they reach their end point in 2015; Further noting that the UN General Assembly has agreed that the post-2015 development agenda will address poverty eradication and sustainable development under a single framework and set of goals; Convinced that the health and well-being of women, children and newborns must remain a primary concern in the post-2015 development agenda; Recognizing the important role of parliamentarians in building the political will necessary to realize international development objectives; RESOLVES TO: 1. Urge APPF Member States to accelerate their efforts to realize the MDG´s, and to build on that progress in the creation of the post-2015 development agenda and sustainable development goals; 2. Call on APPF Member States to continue to provide political and financial support to the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health and related initiatives; 3. Urge APPF Member States to support innovative development finance mechanisms that target the improvement of global health; 4. Call on APPF Members States to strengthen cooperation to end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria and neglected tropical diseases; 5. Call on APPF Member States to ensure reliable access to quality and affordable health services for all women, children and newborns; 6. Prioritize nutrition and food security as key components of child well-being, health and survival; 7. Emphasize that gender equality should be integrated in public policies and implemented in legislation; 8. Prioritize access for all girls and boys to quality education, on an equal basis;

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9. Emphasize that strengthening health systems is a key means of addressing the multifaceted challenges to the health and well-being of women, children and newborns; 10. Eliminate all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls, and all harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage; 11. Call upon Member States to promote timely and quality prenatal and post natal care and interventions for newborns and mothers; 12. Call on APPF Member States to prioritize the most vulnerable women, children and newborns in their health interventions; 13. Stress the need for humanitarian assistance to address the specific health and medical needs of women, children and newborns in humanitarian emergencies and situations of armed conflict; 14. Encourage APPF Member States to strengthen national civil registration and vital statistics systems; 15. Call upon APPF Members States to work collaboratively with international and regional organizations and development banks, civil society, community organizations, health professionals, academics, and the private sector to advance the health and well-being of all women and children; 16. Encourage APPF Members States to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation related to sustainable and inclusive development objectives, and the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda; 17. Urge all APPF Members States to set the objective of ending preventable maternal, newborn and child mortality within a generation. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia, Australia, Canada and China THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS Convinced that achieving a final and peaceful settlement of the issue of the Palestinian statehood is imperative for the attainment of comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East; Hoping that the Israelis and the Palestinians will continue their united efforts to realize the two-state solution whereby the Israelis and the Palestinians live side by side in peace; Reaffirming that a just and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict must be based on such resolutions as the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council Resolutions, previous agreements between Israel and Palestine, the Resolution on the Middle East Peace Process adopted at the Twenty-second Annual Meeting of the APPF on January 2014, and reaffirming the United Nations recognition and support of the existence of Israel as an independent and sovereign state; Expressing support for the Middle East peace process and the efforts to reach a final and lasting settlement between the Israeli and the Palestinian sides as soon as possible; Recognizing that the Middle East continues to face issues such as the rise of ISIL and that those issues interrelate with the Middle East Peace Process in terms of securing peace and stability in the region; RESOLVES TO: 1. Call upon both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides to resume early direct negotiations; 2. Urge both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides to settle the issue through negotiation based on the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the Madrid Principles, the Roadmap, the agreements previously reached by the parties and the Arab Peace Initiative; 3. Urge both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides to halt the use of force and to achieve a durable unconditional cessation of violence; 68

4. Call upon both parties to avoid unilateral actions which prejudice final status issues, including settlement activities in the West Bank; 5. Encourage all parties concerned to make efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; reaffirm that establishment of a Palestinian state, as well as security for Israel and its borders are essential factors for permanent peace; and call upon the Israeli and Palestinian sides to strive for building a proper environment conducive to the establishment of a Palestinian state; 6. Confirm that creating a viable Palestinian economy premised on tangible improvement of living standards is necessary for building a Palestinian state; and therefore call upon the international community including Israel to support the Palestinians and encourage the Governments of the APPF Member States to enhance assistance to them; 7. Urge all sides involved in the conflict to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip; 8. Support the efforts of the international community including the Quartet towards the progress of peace talks between the Israeli and the Palestinian sides, and call upon the Quartet, other concerned countries and all the APPF Member States to continue to extend as much support and cooperation as possible to the Middle East peace process; 9. Highlight the importance in providing capacity building for the Palestinian territories. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Malaysia OBESITY AND NUTRITION IN ASIA PACIFIC REGION Concerned about the number of people affected by obesity and overweight, that according to the World Health Organization, amounts to over 1,400 million worldwide, and that it has currently become an epidemic that also affects children, of which, over 42 million are overweight; for this reason, it is expected that this disease will affect more than 1,500 million people in 2015; Aware that a substantial part of this problem affects countries in the Asia Pacific Region, including low and middle income countries, which, while having improved their nutrition indicators, they have started to face the problems arising from over feeding; Noting that food sovereignty in the Asia Pacific Region encourages the search for new legislative options and instruments to establish a legal framework capable of promoting the production and trade of healthy, nutritious and culturally appropriate food, produced and traded locally, preserving agricultural biodiversity and ancestral knowledge, as well as the conservation and free exchange of seeds, using family and community agriculture mechanisms to ensure their effective incorporation into the food system; Committed to scientific research and the promotion of technical expertise as a condition to lay solid foundations for building food systems that enable increased productivity in a sustainable manner and improve the supply chains to increase the availability of healthy and nutritious food, bringing consumers and producers closer together; Convinced that mechanisms, such as labeling foods with high content of saturated fat, salts and sugars, have proven to be effective for reducing consumption, promoting increased healthy diets, rich in micronutrients, varied and based on traditional foods, thus avoiding heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer, which are directly related to overweight and obesity; Deeply concerned about the impact that climate change will have on agriculture and fisheries, due to erosion and land degradation, floods, droughts, rising sea levels, increased global temperatures, loss of biodiversity, among others, which will have disastrous impacts on agriculture and fisheries; Considering resolution APPF22/RES-10 on food safety, adopted at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the APPF, which encouraged that a decision with legal force 70

should be made at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in order to ensure the necessary actions to prevent and mitigate the impact of climate change on the production, transportation and trade of food products; Confirming the 2025 Global Goals on nutrition from the World Health Organization, emphasizing in its target number four, that states no increasing of overweight in girls and boys, as well as the Action Plan to Prevent Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence; The World Action Plan to Prevent and Control of Non Transmitting Chronic Diseases 2013-2020 from OPS-OMS, and the Sustainable Development Conference from the United Nations Rio+20; Confirming that strategies as labeling of foods, high in saturated fat, salt/sodium and added sugars; have proven effective to reduce its consumption. Promoting an increase of a healthy feeding, nutritious, innocuous, diverse, adequate and traditional food based, therefore avoiding non transmitting chronical diseases, as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer, which increase is directly related to overweight and obesity; RESOLVES TO: Urge the legislators of the APPF Member States to support the efforts of governments and societies in ensuring food sovereignty, which guarantees the provision of safe, nutritious, culturally appropriate food, preferably produced locally, while preserving agricultural biodiversity and ancestral knowledge; Promote the establishment of national, regional and international strategies for the creation of sustainable food systems that increase productivity and improve supply chains to increase the availability of safe and nutritious food; Promote the labeling of foods with high contents of saturated fat, salt or sugar in the countries of the Asia Pacific Region, as a mechanism to reduce the consumption of unhealthy food and beverages that increase the risk of heart disease, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, among others; Urge the governments in the region to engage in the effective fight against global warming using measures for mitigating and adapting to climate change that ensure sustainable food systems, through technological development, the reduction of pollutant emissions, use of clean energy, among others; Promote family and community agriculture, where, possible as a mechanism to increase the production of healthy traditional foods to address the epidemic of obesity and overweight affecting the countries in the region, especially children; Promote ecological agriculture; 71

Urge Member States of the Asia-Pacific region to establish health promotion strategies such as labeling, consumption of drinkable water, physical activity and a healthier lifestyle; Urge Member States of the Asia-Pacific region the promotion and usage of sustainable production methods, promoting scientific research and developing technical knowledge to strengthen food systems; Encourage APPF Member States to orientate their nutritional health systems to prevent and promote health, stressing obesity and nutrition. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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23rd Annual Meeting Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum Sponsored by: Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, Russia, Canada and Chile STRENGTHENING PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION Recalling the Resolution APPF22/RES-1 on Political and Security Matters in the Asia Pacific adopted at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum on 11 -16 January 2014 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Considering the shift in economic and strategic weight to the Asia-Pacific region and the significant increase in Asia’s collective military expenditure over the last 20 years; Reaffirming that the increasing role of the Asia Pacific region in world affairs constitutes one of the key vectors of the development of international relations; Cognizant of the need to preserve the peace and security of the region, including through the adherence to the principles of international law and democracy, for the long term prosperity of the region as a whole; Recognizing the differentiated impacts of conflict on women and girls, including the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and the role that women can play in peacebuilding; Aware that the effective management of regional security issues must be supported by strong and transparent regional institutions; Welcoming East Asia Summit (EAS) leaders’ discussions of regional security issues at the 9th EAS in November 2014 at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar; Recognizing that the threats of nuclear weapon and missile proliferation and transnational crime, including terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, people smuggling and piracy, have a destabilizing effect on international, regional and national security; Convinced that regional security is enhanced by improved development outcomes, gender equality, environmental management, crisis response and further regional economic integration. RESOLVES TO: 1. Encourage APPF Member States to work together to strengthen the momentum towards strong, sustainable and balanced global economic growth, to contribute to the ongoing prosperity and security of the region; 73

2. Renew our efforts to support strong democratic institutions, accountable governance and robust civil society in our region; 3. Reaffirm our mutual respect for independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity in accordance with the UN Charter and international law; 4. Reaffirm our commitment to, and strengthening of, the regional multilateral architecture, including the EAS, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM+) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); 5. Declare the need to step up practical efforts to build a multipolar world order system, to create a secure and adequate configuration of interstate relations in the Asia Pacific region to better reflect the latest developments in the region, and accommodate the interests of all states; 6. Commit to the goals of a nuclear-weapon-free world, strengthened counterterrorism cooperation, and effective regional diplomacy to address common transnational issues; 7. Promote deeper cultural understanding, people-to-people contact and enhanced cooperation in uplifting the lives and wellbeing of the Asia-Pacific community to foster mutual trust and solidarity; 8. Encourage women’s full and effective participation in all levels of decisionmaking in conflict prevention, resolution and peace building; and the protection of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations including through ensuring perpetrators of sexual violence are held to account; 9. Call on all Asia-Pacific nations to work together to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Quito, January 14th, 2015

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PROGRAMA GENERAL Sábado, 10 de enero de 2015 00h00 – 24h00 Arribos de las delegaciones y traslado a los hoteles Lugar: Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre de Quito Traslado de las delegaciones a los hoteles (Sheraton, Swissotel, JW. Marriot, Hilton Colón y Holiday Inn) 14h00 – 18h00 Registro de delegados y participantes Lugar: Hall del Salón Plenario de la Asamblea Nacional Dirección: Calle Juan Montalvo y Gran Colombia Domingo, 11 de enero de 2015 00h00 – 24h00 Continuación de los arribos de las delegaciones y traslado a los hoteles Lugar: Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre de Quito 09h00 - 18h00 Continuación del Registro de delegados y participantes Lugar: Hall del Salón Plenario de la Asamblea Nacional 15h00 - 16h00 Reunión con Secretarios de las Delegaciones para entrega de información del Foro Asia Pacífico Lugar: Sala de Reuniones Bilaterales de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador (segundo piso) 16h00 - 17h30

Reunión del Comité Ejecutivo del Foro Parlamentario Asia-Pacífico Lugar: Auditorio 1 de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador (primer piso)

18h00 - 19h00 Sesión Solemne de Inauguración de la 23 Reunión Anual del Foro Parlamentario Asia-Pacífico Orden del día: - Himno Nacional del Ecuador - Declaración de Hirofumi Nakasone, en representación del señor Yasuhiro Nakasone, Presidente Honorario del Foro Parlamentario Asia Pacífico

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- Discurso de Bienvenida de la señora Gabriela Rivadeneira Burbano, Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador y Presidenta de la 23 Reunión Anual del Foro Parlamentario Asia-Pacífico Lugar: Salón Plenario “Nela Martínez” de la Asamblea Nacional Dirección: Calle Juan Montalvo y Gran Colombia 19h00 – 19h15 Foto oficial de las y los Jefes de Delegación con la señora Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional Lugar: Salón Plenario “Nela Martínez” 19h00 – 21h00 Recepción de bienvenida ofrecida por la Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador en honor a los participantes e invitados de la 23 Reunión Anual de la APPF Lugar: Plaza principal de la Asamblea Nacional Lunes, 12 de enero de 2015 09h00 – 09h15

Apertura del Foro Asia Pacífico

09h15 – 09h45 Conferencia de la Presidenta del Foro Asia Pacífico y Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador, señora Gabriela Rivadeneira Burbano Tema: Política y Seguridad Lugar: Salón Plenario “Nela Martínez” de la Asamblea Nacional 10h00 – 10h30 Conferencia de Prensa del Comité Ejecutivo del Foro Parlamentario AsiaPacífico Lugar: Salón José Mejía Lequerica 10h30 – 11h30 Coffee Break Lugar: Plaza principal de la Asamblea Nacional 11h30 – 12h30 Visita a los Stands Artesanales Lugar: Salón José Mejía Lequerica 12h30 – 14h30 Almuerzo ofrecido por los Presidentes de los Grupos de Amistad y Cooperación Recíproca del Ecuador en honor de las Delegaciones Internacionales participantes en la APPF Lugar: Restaurante Pim´s del Itchimbía Dirección: Calle Iquique s/n 12h30 – 14h30 Almuerzo ofrecido por la señora Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional en honor de los Jefes de Delegación participantes en la APPF Lugar: Salón San Francisco del Hotel Plaza Grande Dirección: Calles García Moreno y Chile esq. SESIONES PLENARIAS - Salón Plenario “Nela Martínez” de la Asamblea Nacional

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14h30-16h30 Primera sesión plenaria: Situación internacional: Política y Seguridad Fortalecimiento de la paz y la seguridad en la región. Ciberespionaje: derechos a la privacidad y seguridad de las comunicaciones. 16h30 – 17h00

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Coffee Break

17h00 - 18h00 Segunda sesión plenaria: Situación internacional: Política y Seguridad Políticas alternativas y nuevos enfoques para prevenir y combatir el crimen organizado transnacional y el terrorismo. REUNIÓN DEL COMITÉ REDACTOR – Auditorio 1 de la Asamblea Nacional (Primer Piso) 14h30 – 16h30

Reunión del Comité Redactor

16h30 – 17h00

Coffee Break

17h00 – 18h00

Reunión del Comité Redactor

20h00 – 22h00 Recepción ofrecida por el señor Canciller de la República del Ecuador en honor a los participantes e invitados de la 23 Reunión Anual de la APPF Lugar: Salón de los Próceres, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores Dirección: 10 de Agosto y Carrión Martes, 13 de enero de 2015 SESIONES PLENARIAS – Salón Plenario “Nela Martínez” de la Asamblea Nacional 09h00 – 10h00 Conferencia Magistral del señor economista Ricardo Patiño Aroca, Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana de la República del Ecuador Tema: Cooperación Regional en la región Asia-Pacifico 10h00 – 10h30

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Coffee Break

10h30 – 13h30 Tercera Sesión Plenaria: Situación Regional e Internacional: Economía Cooperación Económica Asia-Pacífico (APEC) 2014: Reporte de China. Cooperación abierta y no-exclusiva para fomentar el crecimiento del libre comercio, la inversión y el desarrollo sostenible. Desafíos para financiar el desarrollo sostenible en equidad: nueva estructura de financiamiento global. 13h30 – 15h30 Almuerzo de confraternidad con las delegaciones participantes del Foro APPF Lugar: Restaurante Hanzo Dirección: Paúl Rivet N30-54 y José Ortón 15h30 – 17h30 Asia-Pacifico

Cuarta Sesión Plenaria: Cooperación Regional en la región

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Democratización de las organizaciones (para cooperar para la paz, la libertad, la democracia y el bienestar económico) Preservación y promoción del patrimonio cultural en la región. Marco legislativo común para la protección social y la portabilidad de los derechos sociales. 17h30 – 18h00

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Coffee Break

18h00 – 19h00 Quinta Sesión Plenaria: Cooperación Regional en la región AsiaPacifico Cooperación en la prevención de desastres Cambio Climático REUNIÓN DEL COMITÉ DE REDACCIÓN – Auditorio 1 de la Asamblea Nacional (Primer Piso) 09h00 – 11h00

Reunión del Comité Redactor

11h00 – 11h30

Coffee Break

11h30 - 13h30

Reunión del Comité Redactor

13h30 – 15h30 lmuerzo de confraternidad con las delegaciones participantes del Foro APPF Lugar: Restaurante Hanzo Dirección: Paúl Rivet N30-54 y José Ortón 15h30 – 17h30

Reunión del Comité Redactor

17h30 – 18h00

Coffee Break

18h00 – 19h00

Reunión del Comité Redactor

20h00 – 22h00 Cena ofrecida por el señor Gustavo Baroja, Prefecto de la Provincia de Pichincha en honor a los participantes e invitados de la 23 Reunión Anual de la APPF Lugar: Hotel Río Amazonas Dirección: Av. Amazonas y Cordero

Miércoles, 14 de enero de 2015 SESIÓN PLENARIA – Salón Plenario “Nela Martínez” de la Asamblea Nacional 

09h00 – 11h00 Trabajo futuro del APPF Fecha y lugar de la 24a Reunión Anual APPF 11h00 – 11h30

Coffee Break

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11h30 - 13h30 Sesión Plenaria Final Adopción de las resoluciones y la declaración conjunta. 13h30 – 15h30

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Tiempo libre para almuerzo

15h30 – 17h30 Firma de la declaración conjunta por parte de los líderes de las delegaciones Intervención del Delegado del Parlamento Organizador del 24 Foro Parlamentario Asia-Pacífico Intervención de la señora Presidenta de la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador 17h30 – 18h00

Coffee Break

Conferencia de Prensa del Comité Ejecutivo del Foro Parlamentario Asia-Pacífico Lugar: Salón José Mejía Lequerica de la Asamblea Nacional REUNIÓN DEL COMITÉ DE REDACCIÓN – Auditorio 1 de la Asamblea Nacional (Primer Piso) 09h00 – 11h00

Reunión del Comité Redactor

11h00 – 11h30

Coffee Break

11h30 - 13h30

Reunión del Comité Redactor

13h30 – 15h30

Tiempo libre para almuerzo

Jueves, 15 de enero de 2015 13h30 – 15h30 Sucre en Quito

Salida de las delegaciones desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal

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