CONCERNING THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND COOPERATION IN ACTIVITIES OF COMMON INTEREST

THE PARTIES TO THIS LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING, the General Secretariat of the Coordinator Intergovernmental Committee of the Countries of the Basin of the Plata (hereinafter, the SG-CIC), with headquarters in Buenos Aires, Argentina, herein represented by its Secretary-General, Mr. Helio de Macedo-Soares and the Permanent Secretariat to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (hereinafter the PS/ACTO), with headquarters in Brasilia, Brazil, herein represented by its Secretary-General, Ms. Rosalía Arteaga Serrano,

WHEREAS

The converging objectives of the Treaty on the Basin of the Plata and the Amazonian Cooperation Treaty concerning the promotion of the harmonious development of the Basin of the Plata, and the respective Amazonian territories, as well as the shared interest in promoting the rational use of natural resources.

RECOGNIZING

The duties of the CIC General Secretariat and the ACTO General Secretariat of managing, pursuant to their respective political devices, activities on technical cooperation activities, and the exchange of information; and,

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION

The activities under way in CIC and ACTO, aimed at advancing the preparation and execution of technical and financial cooperation, upon international support.

Particularly the experience generated in CIC upon the “Standard Program on the Sustainable Management of Water Resources in the Basin of the Plata Concerning the Hydrological Effects of Climate Variability and Change”, and the willingness of ACTO towards preparing and executing the Project on the “Integrated and Sustainable Management of Transboundary Water Resources in the Amazon Basin”, both to be financed by the Global Environment Facilities (GEF), through the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), and supported by the General Secretariat of the American States Organization (SB/ASO).

That the concept paper for both projects has been approved for financing by GEF, to be supported in their preparation and execution.

AGREE

1. The OBJECTIVE of this LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING is to maintain a smooth flow of exchange of information, and the mutual cooperation between the General Secretariats of CIC and ACTO, concerning the activities, projects and programs approved by both Organizations, prepared and executed under the said General Secretariats, in their corresponding fields of work.

2. Exchange information on the actions, procedures and ways of work used, and on the experiences generated within the CIC and ACTO on mutually interesting efforts held during the processes of request for cooperation and financing, in the preparation and execution of projects under technical and financial cooperation of international agencies or organizations.

3. Keep mutual cooperation activities between CIC and ACTO, whenever identified mutual interest topics and actions for both organizations, within the scope of the respective Treaties.

4. To achieve the objectives proponed herein, the Parties agree in holding at least two (2) meetings a year, to be held alternately in the Federative Republic of Brazil and in the Republic of Argentina.

5. That this LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING and the actions arising out and about it, do not generate any financial commitment to any of the parties.

IN WITNESS HEREOF, the representative of the Parties, duly authorized for this purpose, sign this LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING in two copies with the same validity, in the city of Brasilia, Brazil – on the 30 August 2004.

Helio de Macedo-Soares Rosalía Arteaga Serrano
Secretary-General Secretary-General

On behalf of the Coordinator Intergovernmental On behalf of the Amazonian
Committee of the Countries of the Cooperation Treaty Basin of the Plata Organization