Chapter One
Nature and Purpose, Composition and Functions

Nature and Purpose

Article 1
1. The Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) (hereinafter "the Committee") is a committee of the Inter-American Council on Integral Development (CIDI), established in compliance with resolution AG/RES. 1573 (XXVIII-O/98) of the General Assembly, and in accordance with Articles 93 and 77 of the Charter of the Organization of American States (hereinafter "the Organization") and Articles 5 and 15 of the Statutes of CIDI.

2. The purpose of the Committee is to serve as a permanent inter-American forum of the member states of the Organization, for the strengthening of hemispheric cooperation in the area of port-sector development, with the active participation and collaboration of the private sector. The Committee shall carry out its activities taking into account the priorities of the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development (hereinafter "the Strategic Plan").

Composition

Article 2
The Committee comprises all the member states of the Organization, represented by the highest-level national government authorities from the port sector.

Functions and Powers

Article 3
The functions and powers of the Committee are:
a. To act as the principal advisory organ of the Organization and its member states in all topics concerning port-sector development;
b. To propose and promote hemispheric cooperation policies in port-sector development, in accordance with the guidelines from the General Assembly and CIDI, as well as from the Summits of the Americas;
c. To examine and propose solutions to common port-sector problems;
d. To facilitate and promote the development and improvement of port-sector activities in the Hemisphere;
e. To approve the biennial budget prepared by the Executive Board;
f. To formulate guidelines for the preparation and presentation of partnership-for-development program, project, and activity proposals by the member states, in accordance with the Strategic Plan, the Statutes of the Special Multilateral Fund of CIDI (FEMCIDI), the respective inter-American programs, and other pertinent instruments;
g. To support the preparation for and follow-up of specialized or sectoral meetings at the ministerial level or its equivalent where port-sector matters are being considered;
h. To propose strategies to attract and mobilize additional resources to finance partnership-for-development programs, projects, and activities in the port sector;
i. To promote and organize meetings of port experts to study planning, regulation, administration, operations, marketing, financing, and other technical matters related to port-sector development in the Hemisphere and disseminate their results;
j. To promote the development of joint projects among the port-sector entities of member states;
k. To develop and implement technical training programs for all levels of port-sector personnel of member states;
l. o promote the adoption of cooperation agreements pertaining to the port sector among the governments of member states;
m. To collect and disseminate information related to port-sector activities among member states, particularly on technical advancements, investments, legislation, ownership, administration, operations, security, data, human resources, and the environment;
n. To generate, analyze, propose, and adopt programs, projects, and activities on port-sector matters that are directly related to the Strategic Plan and in accordance with the Declaration of Asunción on Inter-American Port Policies Guidelines, the Agreement on Mutual Cooperation and Assistance among the Inter-American Port Authorities, and other pertinent documents.
o. To maintain permanent contact with various international and regional bodies, governmental and nongovernmental, dealing with port-sector matters, such as the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the Central American Maritime Transport Commission (COCATRAM), the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the International Conference of Port Training, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
p. To carry out other functions consistent with its objectives, as well as those assigned by the General Assembly or CIDI or requested by the Permanent Executive Committee of CIDI (CEPCIDI).