Santo Domingo.– The Member States of the Organization of American States (OAS) agreed on Thursday in Santo Domingo to institutionalize the Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security in the Americas (MISPA) to strengthen cooperation against delinquency, violence and insecurity.

The Meeting, following the agreement reached by Ministers, Vice Ministers and representatives from Member States, will be held every two years in odd-numbered years, alternating with the Meeting of Ministers of Justice of the Americas (REMJA), which takes place in even-numbered years, and thus creating an integrated process in the fight against crime.

Governments also agreed that each MISPA will be preceded by a preparatory meeting of experts, with the next one taking place in Chile. MISPA I was held in Mexico City, Mexico, in October 2008, and MISPA II concluded Thursday in Santo Domingo after two days of meetings.

“The OAS started a long time ago having meetings of Ministers of Labor, Education, Culture or Justice, but only in 2007 started organizing ministerial meetings on Public Security. Institutionalizing this meeting as a regular event in the calendar every two years is a very important step towards coordinating work on security issues in the hemisphere,” said the OAS Secretary for Multidimensional Security, Alexandre Addor-Neto.

“The existence itself of the meeting shows the countries’ interest in joining efforts to fight crime and violence. Moreover, the projects already running confirm that their commitment contains true will and determination,” he added.

In their speeches, delegations thanked the people and government of the Dominican Republic for their hospitality, particularly President Leonel Fernández and the Secretary of State of the Interior and Police, Franklin Almeyda.