WE, the Heads of State and Government of Africa and South America, meeting in
the Second Africa-South America Summit (II ASA) in Nueva Esparta State, Isla de
Margarita, Venezuela on 26 and 27 September of 2009;

1. EXPRESSING our appreciation to His Excellency Commander Hugo
Chávez Frίas, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the
Government and the People of Venezuela for their warm reception and
generous hospitality and for hosting, conducting and organizing the
Second Africa-South America Summit with such excellence;

2. TAKING NOTE of the Abuja Declaration of the First Africa-South
America Summit held in Abuja, Nigeria, on 30 November 2006 and the
efforts that have been made since then to consolidate the process of
cooperation and strategic partnership between our two regions;

3. AFFIRMING the commitment, as contained in the Abuja Declaration, to
continue strengthening the links between our two regions and to foster
and enhance cooperation in various areas of mutual interest;

4. CONSIDERING also the deeply rooted historical and cultural ties that
have inspired this relationship;

5. ACKNOWLEDGING the active participation of Afro-descendant
population in the development of South America as well as the
contribution of South American countries to the consolidation of political
independence and development on the African continent as part of this
process;

6. REAFFIRMING our commitment to foster South-South Cooperation as a
major objective of both regions, in order to complement the traditional
North-South Cooperation and promote, among other aims, sustained
economic growth and decent work, enable social justice, foster inclusive
social policies by mainstreaming the effective participation of youths, civil
society and gender groups and persons with special needs, ensure
equality, respect and mutual regard among states in the global system,
promote economic cooperation and facilitate distribution of the benefits
derived from exchange of goods and services, as well as generation and
transfer of technical knowledge, aiming at the accomplishment of the
Millennium Development Goals;

7. AGREEING to exchange experience and foster close and effective cooperation
between our regions, with the strong support of the African
Union (AU) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR),
important pillars of cooperation among our peoples, already forged by
the contribution and role of both Organizations in the preparatory
meetings leading up to the Second Summit;

8. COMMENDING the efforts undertaken so far by the Follow-Up
Coordinating Committee of ASA to intensify cooperation between Africa
and South America and also to promote effective multilateralism for the
mutual benefits of the states and peoples of the two regions;

9. RECOGNIZING the outcomes of the International Seminar on the Poles
of the South held in Caracas from 20 to 21 May 2008 and the Ministerial
and Senior Officials/Experts Conferences held between the two
Summits;

10. REITERATING our will to promote peace, security and international
cooperation on the basis of adherence to multilateralism, observance of
International Law, the Rule of Law, Democracy, and respect of human
rights and International Humanitarian Law;

11. REAFFIRMING likewise our commitment to disarmament, non
proliferation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction
and the fight against traffic in small arms and light weapons in all their
aspects; taking into consideration the decision to fight the global drug
problem, within the framework of common and shared responsibility,
terrorism in all its form, piracy, mercenarism, transnational organized
crime, especially the traffic of persons and the smuggling of migrants;

DECLARE THAT:

12. In order to translate this wider commitment into action, we affirm the
need to develop, consolidate and build on our axes of cooperation in the
following specific areas:

I. COOPERATION IN THE MULTILATERAL AREA

13. WE RENEW our commitment to multilateralism within the framework of
unrestricted respect for the norms and principles of International Law
and the Charter of the United Nations.

14. WE STATE our full support for the reform of the UN Security Council, as
a process that, more than anything, should ensure a greater participation
of developing countries in South America and Africa and the
improvement of their working methods in order to correct current
imbalances and make this Council a more democratic, transparent,
representative, effective and legitimate body that responds to the new
political realities. In this sense, we commend the efforts made in the
intergovernmental negotiations on this matter, in accordance with
Decision 62/557 of the UN General Assembly. We hope that this new
stage of negotiations will be inclusive and fruitful in the 64th Session of
the General Assembly.

15. WE TAKE NOTE that Africa maintains its common position on the UN
Reform, as stipulated in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte
Declaration of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and
Government of July 2005, and reaffirm our commitment to the conclusion
of the global processes of the UN Reform.

II. COOPERATION TO FIGHT CRIME AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS

16. WE RENEW our decision to strengthen initiatives for cooperation to fight
all forms of transnational organized crime, such as illicit trafficking in
Small Arms, Light Weapons and Ammunitions, the fight against human
trafficking and against proliferation of nuclear and other weapons of
mass destruction, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels, as well as
our determination to implement follow-up mechanisms and action plans
for institutional development and exchange of information with a view to
developing joint work and cooperation in this area.

17. WE RECOGNISE the adverse effects that all aspects of the worldwide
problem of drugs, including the illegal traffic of narcotics and
psychotropic substances and related crimes, have on security, peace,
governance, economic development and public health of our peoples, as
this poses a serious challenge to social and political institutions,
contributes to environmental degradation and poverty, and weakens the
efforts for social integration. In this respect, we commit ourselves to
fostering initiatives, proposals, actions and activities to fight this
phenomenon, both bi-regionally and bilaterally, acting always under the
principles of common and shared responsibility, demanding an integral
and balanced approach, respect for the sovereignty of States and their
territorial integrity, non intervention in the internal affairs and respect for
human rights, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations.

III. PEACE AND SECURITY

18. WE EXPRESS our commitment to maintenance of international peace
and security, as well as peaceful dispute settlement, observing the
principle against the threat or use of force in international relations and
supporting peace processes in Africa as well as strengthening of existing
mechanisms to prevent and solve conflicts.

19. WE EMPHASIZE the importance of promoting peace in both regions, by
bolstering measures to encourage confidence and cooperation in the
fields of defence and security, as the best means to warrant stability,
security, democracy, human rights and comprehensive development of
our peoples.

20. WE RECALL the need to peacefully solve, in accordance with the
Charter of the United Nations, any problems or disputes which may
endanger regional or global stability, as well as the determination to take
appropriate and effective measures against any threats to peace and
security caused by the proliferation of chemical, biological and nuclear
weapons, as well as the illicit traffic in arms, ammunitions and
explosives, under the relevant provisions of the United Nations.

21. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to continue strengthening dialogue and
cooperation for promotion of peace and security between organizations
and mechanisms in which we are members of, such as the Peace and
Security Council of the African Union, the South-American Defense
Council of UNASUR and the Zone of Peace and Cooperation in the
South Atlantic (ZPCSA).

22. WE EMPHASIZE the importance of cooperation in the area of peace
consolidation, both through acting within the Peace Building Commission
(PBC) of the United Nations, and the Post-Conflict Reconstruction and
Development Policy of the African Union. We commend the work
developed by the PBC in Burundi, Sierra Leone, Central African
Republic and Guinea-Bissau and urge support for both Post-Conflict
Reconstruction and Development Policy of the AU and the PBC.

23. WE STRESS the importance of the United Nations Program of Action to
Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light
Weapons in All Its Aspects and call upon all States to participate and
contribute towards the continued implementation of the above-mentioned
Program.

24. WE CONDEMN the production and use of anti-personnel mines, by any
country, as they jeopardize the lives of our peoples, affect their physical
and emotional integrity and have a negative impact on the wellbeing and
development of communities. The member states reafirm their
commitment to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling,
Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their
Destruction, and invite all States which have not yet done so to adhere to
or ratify this Convention.

25. WE EXPRESS concern over the existence of explosives left behind by
the Second World War, especially in the form of landmines and other
remnants of war, which continue to cause humanitarian and material
damage and also obstruct development processes. In this regard, we
call on the countries responsible for planting these landmines and
explosives to cooperate with the affected countries, through the provision
of maps that show locations of landmines and explosives, as well as the
provision of the necessary technical assistance for their complete
removal.

26. WE CONDEMN terrorism in all its manifestations and we reject any
linking of terrorism to a specific culture, ethnicity, religion or peoples. We
emphasize the importance of combating terrorism via active and efficient
international cooperation in the framework of the relevant regional
organizations and the United Nations, based on the respect of the
objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and in strict
conformity with the principles of International law and human rights. We
also share the conviction that the recourse to payment of ransom for
terrorism should be condemned and criminalised

27. RECOGNISING the threats and negative consequences caused by
piracy which have greatly interrupted maritime and international security,
WE UNDERSCORE the need for the international community to deal
with the root causes of the piracy problem in territorial and international
waters and strongly condemn and discourage payment of all forms of
ransom on piracy.

28. WE SUPPORT the negotiations developed within the framework of the
United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons on the
prohibition of production and use of cluster ammunition given the
damage they cause to civil populations.

29. WE REITERATE our deep concern at the use, recruitment, funding,
training and transport of mercenaries or any other form of support to
mercenaries, in violation of the purposes and principles set forth in the
Charter of the United Nations.

IV. DEMOCRACY, GOVERNANCE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND POLITICAL ISSUES

30. WE REITERATE that human rights are universal, indivisible and
interdependent, and that the international community should address
itself to its comprehensive defense. We encourage the establishment of
cooperation mechanisms among the countries of Africa and South
America aimed at ensuring and promoting rights inherent to the
individual, protected by International Law, including the right to
development.

31. WE CONDEMN racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
forms of intolerance, as they deny the purposes and principles of the
Charter of the United Nations. Our principles are based on respect for
human rights and fundamental liberties of everybody without drawing a
distinction of ethnic origin, colour, gender, religion, political opinions or
any other. We commit ourselves to delve into bi-regional cooperation
and exchange of practices to fight any and all forms of intolerance, in
accordance with the commitments undertaken under the Durban
Declaration and Plan of Action.

32. WE EMPHASIZE the importance of promoting, at the relevant
multilateral forums, respect for cultural, ethnic, religious, and linguistic
diversity, as well as the comprehension of their different cultures among
the peoples and nations of the world. We recognize the significance of
national and regional peculiarities, as well as different historic and
religious heritages within the framework of progressive development of
International Law of Human Rights.

33. WE CALL FOR the strengthening of those national institutions in charge
of timely implementing the Declaration on the Right of Indigenous
Peoples adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its
Resolution AG/61/295 of September 13, 2007.

34. WE UNDERLINE the importance of promoting the exchange of
experiences in the area of the rights of women, children and youth, as
well as the promotion of the rights of the elderly and people with
disabilities.

35. WE REAFFIRM the commitment of the States to full observance and
protection of child and youth rights as a priority area of public policies in
the fight against poverty and the fostering of health, education and
culture, and the protection against all kinds of labour and sexual
exploitation in the higher interest of children, with the State, society and
family assuming their responsibility of ensuring maximum enjoyment of
their fundamental rights.

36. WE ADVOCATE the right to development, democracy and respect and
protection of the rights of indigenous peoples, including isolated
indigenous peoples.

37. WE HIGHLIGHT the importance of fostering an Agenda, within the
framework of WIPO, with a view to promote the transfer and
dissemination of technology and access to knowledge and education to
the benefit of developing countries and countries of less relative
development, and the most vulnerable social groups.

38. WE CALL UPON the international community not to approve unilateral
illegal and coercive measures as a means of exerting political, military or
economic pressure against any country, in particular against developing
countries, according to the Charter of the United Nations.

39. WE URGE the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and
the Argentine Republic to resume negotiations in order to find, as a
matter of urgency, a fair, peaceful and lasting solution to the dispute
concerning sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands and South
Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and surrounding maritime spaces,
in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations and other
pertinent regional and international organizations.

40. WE URGE the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
France, and the Republic of Mauritius to pursue negotiations in order to
find, as a matter of urgency, a fair, peaceful and definitive solution to the
issues regarding the sovereignty over Chagos Archipelago, including
Diego Garcia, and Tromelin and the surrounding maritime spaces, in
accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations and the other
pertinent regional and international organizations.

41. WE URGE the Republic of France and the Union of Comoros to resume
negotiations in order to find, as a matter of urgency, a fair, peaceful and
definitive solution to the dispute regarding sovereignty over the Island of
Mayotte and its surrounding maritime spaces in accordance with the
resolutions of the United Nations and the other pertinent regional and
international organizations.

V. AGRICULTURE, AGRIBUSINESS, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND WATER RESOURCES

42. WE RECOGNISE the pressing need to articulate policies allowing for
food security, including access to food, and therefore underscore our
determination and strong willingness to conduct joint studies and
exchange experiences in the field of food security in order to facilitate the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. In this regard, we
reject the distorting policies adopted by developed countries, due to the
negative impact they have on agricultural production and investment in
developing countries and on the exercise of the right to food.

43. WE RECOGNIZE the importance of water as a natural resource of
States that is an essential element for life, with socio-economic and
environmental functions. We shall promote the right of our citizens to
have access to clean and safe water and sanitation within our respective
jurisdictions.

44. WE REALIZE the need to promote sustainable use of water, and in this
regard, we shall promote the exchange of information and best practices
between our regions with a view to achieving the Millennium
Development Goals.

45. WE REAFFIRM our commitment to the multilateral system as a valid tool
to help solve the issue of hunger and poverty. In this regard, we urge
developed countries to fulfil their funding commitments, undertaken at
the High-Level Conference on World Food Security, held at FAO in June
2008. Further, we highlight our commitment to reinforce the Committee
on World Food Security (CFS) as a multilateral forum where all the
States can find alternatives to solve the world food insecurity.

VI. ECONOMY, TRADE, INVESTMENT AND TOURISM

46. WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT the outcome of the First Conference of
Trade Ministers of Africa and South America held on 19 June 2008 in
Marrakech, Morocco.

47. WE RECOGNIZE that the principles of complementarity, cooperation
and solidarity contribute to social and economic development, as well as
to transparent, non-discriminatory, fair and all-inclusive trade, in
accordance with the multilateral rules of trade notwithstanding integration
mechanisms and ratifying the need for ethical and responsible practices,
taking into account the asymmetries, developmental differences and
strategic peculiarities of each country. In this regard we recognize that
international trade and commercial, scientific, technological and
innovative exchange should be factors that contribute to growth,
sustainable development, poverty reduction, and, in some instances, the
protection and defence of traditional cultural knowledge, conservation
practices and sustainable use of biodiversity, and to the strengthening of
the fraternal dialogue among peoples, as well as their sovereign right of
peoples to the use of their resources.

48. WE AGREE that fostering South - South trade and investment
contributes to the complementarities of developing economies and to the
identification of new opportunities for economic and commercial
exchanges. In this regard, we believe that the Global System of Trade
Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP) is a tool in the
attainment of these objectives and, therefore, call for a prompt
conclusion of the 3rd Round Negotiations of the Generalized System of
Trade Preferences that enables the diversification of production relations
in accordance with the strategic areas of interest that may be identified
by both regions.

49. WE REAFFIRM the fundamental role of the State in the definition of
economic and social policies and as an economic stakeholder in socioeconomic
development, taking into account the peculiarities of each
country.

50. WE RECOGNIZE the role of the private sector and other organized
social stakeholders, and the importance of productive investment and its
commitment to the economic development of our countries, and reiterate
the will to foster cooperation to promote that sector in our development
agenda in accordance with the interests, priorities and needs of each
State.

51. WE REAFFIRM our commitment to reach a successful conclusion to the
Doha Development Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a
fair and balanced manner to developing countries. Likewise we reaffirm
the need for a transparent process involving all the members of the
WTO, taking into account the needs of developing countries. Similarly,
special attention should be given to the need of coordinating the
positions of the two regions within the framework of the WTO, so as to
promote the interests of developing countries by paying attention, in
particular, to the challenges faced by less relatively developed countries.

52. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to the promotion of tourism as a factor of
integration. We also commit ourselves to the promotion of tourism based
on community development and absolute respect for our cultural
heritage, customs and traditions.

53. WE RECOGNIZE that the current financial and economic crisis is a
structural crisis. We therefore commit ourselves to fostering the changes
needed in order to enable the establishment of a new international
financial architecture, which must be based on a democratic decisionmaking
process, including a balanced participation of all parties
concerned and taking into account the views and perspectives of
developing countries. We emphasize, likewise, the need to prevent the
losses from such crises from being transferred to developing countries
through the implementation of various financial safeguard mechanisms.
We agree that in order to speed up the establishment of the proposed
new international financial architecture, it is necessary to strengthen
regional systems through the promotion of supportive financial and
monetary institutions based on solidarity, cooperation, endogenous
regional development and the formation of more democratic, fair and
equitable societies within the framework of respect for national
independence and sovereignty.

54. WE RECOGNIZE the need to move forward in the adoption of financial
safeguard measures required to prevent the costs of the international
financial crisis, taking into special consideration the conditions and
circumstances of the more vulnerable economies. We agree on the need
to foster the design of a new international and regional financial
architecture in order to achieve the comprehensive development of our
peoples.

VII. COMBATING POVERTY AND HUNGER

55. WE REAFFIRM our commitment to intensify our efforts to eradicate
poverty and hunger, both in rural and urban areas with special attention
to most vulnerable peoples, by tackling the root causes that generate
them, with a view to fostering societies based on values such as social
justice, solidarity, complementarity, equality, social inclusion, citizens´
involvement and respect for human rights and respect for Mother Earth
in accordance with the provisions set out in Resolution 63/278 of the
United Nations General Assembly. In this regard, WE RECOGNIZE the
need to develop rural and urban areas in poverty situation by pursuing
their inclusion into national projects.

56. WE REITERATE the importance of achieving the Development
Objectives contained in the Millennium Declaration, and agree to
develop and engage in joint efforts in the fight for eradicating poverty and
hunger on a worldwide scale, as well as to promote social inclusion.
Likewise, we underline the need to uphold the commitment reaffirmed in
the Monterrey Consensus in 2002 (United Nations Conference on
Financing for Development), whereby industrialized countries are to set
aside 0.7% of their GDP to official development assistance (ODA) in
favour of developing countries and 0.2% in favour of the Least
Developed Countries (LDCs).

VIII. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

57. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to identifying joint initiatives on the basis of
the needs of each bloc for funding and developing projects.

58. WE RECOGNIZE the Infrastructure Initiative for the Integration of
Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA), the South-American
Infrastructure and Planning Council of UNASUR, the New Partnership for
the Development of Africa (NEPAD), and the Short-Term Action Plan
(STAP) of the African Union as the foundations for mutual exchange and
support in the field of infrastructure.

59. WE RENEW our commitment to facilitate transit through the territory of
transit countries by all means of transport, in accordance with the
applicable rules of International Law, to landlocked developing countries,
and recognize that their special characteristics deserve an adequate
approach to deal with their specific problems.

IX. ENERGY AND SOLID MINERALS

60. WE AGREE to consolidate our efforts in order to exchange experiences
in terms of development and universal use of energy sources and energy
saving by the governments and the peoples of both regions, in particular
clean, renewable and alternative energy sources, with a view to
extending their sustainable diffusion and utilization, as well as achieving
maximum efficiency in their usage, in accordance with the relevant
economic, social and environmental aspects, thus contributing to the
economic and social transformation of the countries of Africa and South
America. Considering the envisaged use of fossil fuels going into the
future, both regions will cooperate on matters relating to the sustainable
production and use of fossil fuel, particularly oil and gas.

61. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to enhancing energy-related cooperation
between Africa and South America in order to contribute to industrial
growth, the development of energy infrastructure, the exchange and
transfer of technologies, the reduction of transaction costs and the
training of human skills in order to attain the strategic goal of energy
security and integration.

62. WE RECOGNIZE the importance of creating conditions to increase the
presence of African and South American companies including the energy
and mining sectors in both regions, which would contribute to
strengthening South-South trade and investment. We renew our earlier
mandate for AFREC and UNASUR to prepare an energy strategy to
promote sustainable development, while respecting the sovereign rights
to manage and regulate natural resources.

63. WE REAFFIRM the importance of continuing the studies to diversify the
energy matrix in Africa and South America, as well as studies on the
potential of other alternative sources of energy.

64. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to joining efforts with the aim of ensuring the
exchange of experiences in the areas of Prospecting, Exploration and
Treatment of Mineral Resources, prioritizing local transformation, in a
diversified manner, using clean technologies that preserve the
environment.

65. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to implementing joint projects, to be
identified, in the areas of energy technologies and minerals.

X. SOCIAL ISSUES AND SPORTS

66. WE REAFFIRM sports, physical education and recreation as
fundamental elements of transformation in improving the living conditions
and physical and mental health of citizens, as well as in the processes of
social inclusion and strengthening both individual and collective selfesteem
and national identity.

67. WE SUPPORT the Tunisian initiative on the Proclamation of the year
2010 as the International Year of Youth as well as the holding of a Youth
World Congress under the auspices at the United Nations and relevant
International Organizations.

68. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to providing all the necessary support to
ensure the success of the Africa Cup of Nations, to be held in Angola in
January 2010, the success of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in
South Africa and the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be held in Brazil, and
welcome the candidacy of Rio de Janeiro to host the Olympic Games in
2016.

69. WE DECIDE to establish sports competitions between Africa and South
America and call upon the specialized Federations of both continents to
work together in collaboration with all actors in order to organize different
tournaments.

70. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to implementing active policies aimed at
generating decent work and implementing the International Labour
Organization fundamental conventions for creating conditions of quality
employment for the development of our human resources, and to
formulating economic policies giving globalization an ethical dimension
by placing the person at the centre of public policies.

71. WE WELCOME the programs approved by many countries to attain the
full integration of immigrants into their societies as well as the reunion
with their families. In this context, we recognize the important work being
developed within the United Nations framework.

72. WE SHALL JOIN EFFORTS to work on and strengthen the areas of
cooperation and integration in the field of health with a view to identifying
structural weaknesses and other illness-determining social factors and
preventing the high maternal and infant death rates, malnutrition, and
improving access to drinking water, as well as fighting the transmission
of HIV / AIDS / STDs and their impact on the population, as well as of
other poverty-related illnesses such as tuberculosis, malaria, and other
epidemics coexisting with non-transmittable diseases, through promotion
of national and international initiatives which aim to produce and
equitably distribute new vaccines and widen the access to essential
medicines, with a view to guaranteeing health as an inalienable right of
our peoples and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

73. WE SHALL TAKE action in order to exchange information and good
practices in fighting the risks of A (H1N1) Influenza for the peoples of
both regions, particularly for the poorest and those with no ready access
to health services. We advocate, jointly, sharing viral strains with
pandemic potential, by using the system of the World Health
Organization and building an equitable and fair system to share the
benefits arising from the use of this genetic material.

XI. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTs)

74. WE SHALL JOIN EFFORTS to embark on initiatives of cooperation and
exchange of experiences aimed at building the scientific, technological
and institutional capacities of the STI (science, technology and
innovation) national systems and the formulation and implementation of
policies aimed at the sustainable development and social progress of
both regions, with a view to foster integration and rapprochement of the
African and South American scientific communities promoting the
generation, transfer and social appropriation of scientific and technical
knowledge. In this respect, and in order to promote social inclusion, we
commit ourselves to fostering the use of information and communication
technologies (ICTs), as well as other technologies, with a view to
facilitating opportunities of education, health and better living conditions
for the population.

75. WE AFFIRM the importance of joining efforts in order to make our history
and current reality known, as well as our cultural diversity and common
issues and problems, through the exchange of radio-and televisionbroadcast
contents, which enable the initiation of cooperation in the
areas of communication and information, and contribute to progressively
establishing bi-regional television and radio stations.

76. WE EMPHASIZE the need for consolidating cooperation between Africa
and South America in the fields of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) as well as undertaking joint action in order to reduce
the digital divide as stipulated in the Tunis Declaration adopted by the
World Summit on the Information Society held in 2005, and to promote
technological literacy and the development and use of free software.

XII. EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES

77. WE REGARD as fundamental the establishment of joint research
projects in strategic and priority areas for both regions through
permanent exchange programs for students, researchers and teachers,
as well as the fostering of networks of teachers, researchers and
students between academic institutions, and mechanisms of triangular
cooperation and scholarship programs for those projects within the spirit
of solidarity and complementarity.

78. WE ALSO REGARD as important the reinforcement of the bonds
existing between the Diplomatic Academies of Africa and South America
with a view to promoting mutual knowledge among the new generations
of diplomats and the consolidation of new, multidisciplinary professional
training.

79. WE COMMIT OURSELVES to strengthening and deepening supportive
cooperation relations among the peoples of Africa and South America in
order to recognize our cultural and historic heritage so as to coordinate
efforts to guarantee education as a public, human right and universal
asset based on the principles of social equality, inclusion and relevance
in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals in the field of
education.

80. WE RECOGNIZE the incidence of illiteracy as a factor of social exclusion
in the development of our countries. We therefore agree to consolidate
efforts, from a perspective of social and gender equality, to contribute to
eradicate this scourge through the exchange and the promotion of
successful practices in the field of teaching to read and write with a view
to reaching the Millennium Development Goals.

81. WE TAKE NOTE that chewing coca leaves is an ancestral cultural
manifestation of the Bolivian people, which must be respected by the
international community.

82. WE UPHOLD the commitment to exchange experts and develop joint
research projects on the contribution of the African Diaspora to the
culture of the peoples of South America and we support the
arrangements being advanced for the 2nd African Union Diaspora
Summit, to be held in the near future.

83. WE CALL for the holding of festivals, meetings and other types of
exchanges enabling mutual knowledge and cultural and human
enrichment. We congratulate the countries that have implemented
initiatives in this regard.

84. WE REAFFIRM our commitment to advance in the acquisition and
transfer of knowledge in the field of cultural heritage. WE ALSO
EXPRESS our concern over the illegal export, import and transfer of
ownership of cultural property from our countries. WE FINALLY
EMPHASIZE the need for the full implementation of the 1970 and 1995
Conventions of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) on returning the cultural properties to the
countries of origin.

XIII. ENVIRONMENT

85. WE UNDERLINE the need to embrace the issue of climate change
within the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, in accordance with
the principles, norms and commitments set forth in the said international
juridical framework. We highlight the relationship between the historical
responsibility of developed countries for global warming and the
obligation of those countries, as Parties to the Convention, to reduce
their emissions of greenhouse gases. We underline the need to define,
in 2009, more ambitious reduction targets for developed countries for the
second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and, also, of
comparable mitigation commitments and actions for all developed
countries. Moreover, we agree on the need to continue fostering
positions of consensus within the Group of 77 plus China in the process
of negotiation of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative
Action, created by the Bali Action Plan.

86. WE REAFFIRM the need for a strong political commitment of the
developed countries based on their historical responsibility, including
those countries that did not adhere to the Kyoto Protocol to adopt and
comply with their emission reduction commitments. WE OPPOSE any
intention of modifying the balance of rights and obligations established in
the Kyoto Protocol in respect of the mitigation commitments.

87. WE REITERATE our support for the Special Climate Change Fund
aimed at developing countries, which works for the strengthening of
domestic capacities in the face of climate imbalances and disasters. We
therefore urge developed countries to make urgent and substantial
contributions permitting developing countries to make use of the financial
resources needed to take early adaptation actions. We commit ourselves
to working towards achieving the outcome agreed upon within the
framework of the Bali Action Plan of 2007 at the 15th Conference of the
Parties, to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009, and which we
hope will enable a full, effective and sustained implementation of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
In this regard, we pledge to promote our positions in the said conference.

88. WE REITERATE our political commitment regarding the implementation
of the 10 year Strategic Plan and Framework to foster the
implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD), approved by the 8th Conference of the Parties,
at all levels.

89. WE TAKE NOTE of the national initiative undertaken by Ecuador, called
Yasuní-ITT and aimed, among other aspects, at promoting the
exploration and development of alternative sources to obtain revenues,
reduce the non-sustainable production of natural resources and optimize
the conservation of biological diversity.

90. WE ALSO TAKE NOTE of the project the Great Green Wall of Africa
with a view to stop the desert from advancing in the Saharo-Sahelian
region.

XIV. INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND SHARED VIEW ON APPROPRIATE PRACTICES

91. WE BELIEVE in a new conception of international economic relations
fostering actively South-South exchange and based on the principles of
transparency, complementarities, cooperation and solidarity, and
enabling an adequate distribution of the benefits derived from the
exchange of goods and services, in compliance with the norms of the
multilateral trade system, supported by new instruments and regional
financial institutions and strengthening the comprehensive development
of peoples through the utilization of the potentials existing in their
national territories.

92. WE RECOGNIZE and commit ourselves to undertaking efforts to
promote sustainable and productive development, sharing best practices
in fostering the development of micro and small enterprises and other
alternative forms of production, the promotion of micro finances and the
training and education of human resources for work enabling to
contribute to the well-being of our peoples and to sustainable
development as an engine of transformation in the fight against poverty
and social exclusion.

XV. FOLLOW-UP MECHANISM

93. WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT the Africa-South America Follow-up
Mechanism that was established under the Abuja Declaration and urge
Member States to give it the necessary support in the fulfilment of its
mandate. The Follow-up Committee comprising High-Level Officials shall
be responsible for proposing new initiatives and undertaking actions on
previously agreed programs and projects, reviewing the progress of their
implementation and disseminating information about cooperation
arrangements. It shall also follow up on Ministerial and Summit
decisions, and submit recommendations to Summits.

94. WE TAKE NOTE of the proposals contained in the “Nueva Esparta
Implementation Plan” as well as the “Implementation Programme” of the
ASA Declaration and Plan of Action presented by the South American
and African parties, respectively. Both documents are annexed to the
current Declaration. Expressing our satisfaction over the inaugural
meetings of the eight ASA Work Groups, WE AGREE that the ASA
Member States shall meet within six months at the Senior Officials level
with the objective of producing a harmonized Implementation
Programme that will define the prioritized projects, timeframe for
implementation and financial mechanisms, these will then be submitted
for approval during the next Ministerial Meeting.

95. In order to ensure effective implementation of this Declaration and the
Implementation Plan, WE AGREE TO REINFORCE the Follow-up
Mechanism as follows:
i. A meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs for implementing actions will
be held parallel to the 65th United Nations General Assembly;
ii. Regular meetings of the various Working Groups will take place at least
once a year to ensure the full implementation of the projects they
envisaged;
iii. A meeting will be held with the participation of the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Venezuela, as host country of the Second ASA Summit; the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the host country of the Third ASA Summit;
Brazil and Nigeria, as Regional Coordinators; the Chairperson of the
African Union Commission; and Ecuador, as Pro Tempore President of
UNASUR in order to evaluate this Bi-Regional Mechanism as well as the
execution of the Nueva Esparta Implementation Plan and the Nueva
Esparta Programme of Implementation.

96. WE GLADLY ACCEPT the offer of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya to host the Third Africa - South America Summit (ASA)
in 2011.