The 22nd Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government
Observers and Special Guests
News - 2012.6.5
Within the framework of the 1st Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in Guadalajara (Mexico) on 18 and 19 July 1991, it was agreed to create a space for political dialogue and cooperation at the highest level on Ibero-America.
The Ibero-American Conference currently consists of twenty two sovereign States with full member status.
In 2007, the Ibero-American Conference began a process of reflection on the forms of participation in the Conference. Said reflection and subsequent discussion led to the incorporation of a highly significant document, as an Annex to the San Salvador Action Programme adopted by 18th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government in October 2008: the "San Salvador Consensus on Forms of Participation in the Ibero-American Conference".
By virtue of said Consensus, the following categories were created:
- Associate Observer
- Consulting Observer
The Associate Observer Status may be requested by those States that:
a) share linguistic and cultural affinities with the Member States of the Ibero-American Conference; or
b) are capable of making a significant contribution to the same.
The application process
In either case, candidate States must expressly accept the acquis communautaire formed by the guiding values and principles of the Ibero-American Conference.
Status as a Consulting Observer of the Ibero-American Conference may be requested by international intergovernmental organisations capable of contributing to the strength, promotion and presence of the Ibero-American space through significant contributions to the same and that have a Community Secretary or Body capable of acting as a link to the Ibero-American Secretariat-General (Spanish acronym: SEGIB) and that represents the Consulting Observer in the various bodies of the Ibero-American Conference.
A procedure is established for processing requests received for both categories by virtue of which the applicant must file a petition with the Ibero-American Secretariat-General (SEGIB).
Once the request has been processed, the SEGIB (following consultation with the National Coordinators of the Member States, the foreign affairs ministers thereof and finally the Heads of State and Government), will officially announce the decision adopted regarding the applicant.
Compliance with the above-mentioned requirements and unanimous acceptance by the Member States is required for recognition of either Associate Observer or Consulting Observer status.
Finally, it should be pointed out that recognition of observer status will entitle the States or Organisations to certain rights with regard to:
- the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government that is held every year;
- the Sectoral Ministerial Meetings of the Conference;
- the Meetings of Foreign Affairs Ministers, National Coordinators and Cooperation Ministers; and
- Cooperation activities.
Who are Associate and Consultive Observers?
The list of Associate Observers includes:
- Belgium
- The Philippines
- France
- Italy
- Morocco
- The Netherlands
The list of Consulting Observers includes:
- Inter-American Development Bank, IBD
- Development Bank of Latin America, CAF
- Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, FAO
- Latin American School of Social Sciences, FLACSO
- Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD
- Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, OECS
- World Food Programme, WFP
- Latin American and Caribbean Economic System, SELA
- Unión Latina