Santo Domingo Council - Working for a more secure and fairer world

The Socialist International Council met on 26 and 27 November in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, hosted by the Dominican Revolutionary Party, PRD. The opening of the event, which was chaired by Prime Minister Antonio Guterres, President of the SI, and Secretary General of the Socialist Party of Portugal, counted on the presence of and an address from the President of the Republic, Hipólito Mejía, and an address from the President of the host party, the PRD, Hatuey de Camps, and from President Guterres.

Delegates and representatives from member parties and organisations of the SI and other guests discussed, in the context of the first main theme, ‘Working for a more secure and fairer World’ three of the most urgent challenges for the international community: responding to terrorism, resolving conflicts, and eliminating poverty, and detailed their conclusions in a Declaration carrying the same name as the meeting.

Reflecting the discussions on the themes pertinent to this debate, a declaration on World Poverty, a resolution on Fighting the Funding of Terrorism, resolutions on the situations in the Middle East and Colombia, and a resolution on the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha were agreed.

'Latin America and the Caribbean: Deepening Democracy and ensuring Social Justice' was the second main theme on the agenda. The particular situation of several countries in the region were also discussed and the Council issued resolutions on Haiti, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico.

Delegates had the opportunity of receiving reports from committees and working groups of the International, and a report from the Secretary General. A declaration on Guinea, on current urgent developments in this country was also agreed, and the International adopted as its own the Declaration of Socialist International Women on Afghan women.