The sessions of the XLIX Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council of SELA will be held at the Permanent Secretariat headquarters both in person and online through the digital platform Zoom.

The XLIX Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council will take place on 5 and 6 December starting at 11:00 a.m. (Venezuelan time).

ITEM I.        THEMES OF THE XLIX REGULAR MEETING OF THE LATIN AMERICAN COUNCIL

          Pursuant to Article 22 of the Regulations of the Latin American Council, the Annotated agenda and themes for work of the “XLIX Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council” (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 2-23) will be submitted for consideration by the delegations, and once approved, the meeting will begin.

ITEM II.      ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARIAT

         The Permanent Secretary will present the “Forty-seventh Annual Report of the Permanent Secretariat” (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 3-23) corresponding to the activities conducted since the last Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council in November 2022 until this date.

ITEM III.     UPDATED WORK PROGRAMME FOR 2022-2026

The Permanent Secretary will present to the Latin American Council the updated Work Programme for 2022-2026 in the following areas: Economic Recovery, Social Development and Digitalisation and Infrastructure (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 4-23).

ITEM IV.      PROGRESS AND STATUS OF THE NETWORK OF DIGITAL AND COLLABORATIVE PORTS

            The Permanent Secretary will present to the Latin American Council the progress made in the promotion and consolidation of port logistics communities through the Network of Digital and Collaborative Ports, as well as the status of the institutionalisation process.

ITEM V.       PRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE INTER-SECRETARIAT WORK

            The Permanent Secretary will present to the Latin American Council the balance of the activities implemented with subregional integration mechanisms, within the framework of the proposal for inter-secretariat work conducted with SICA, ALADI, ACS, CAN, Caricom, Pacific Alliance, Mercosur, ALBA and ACTO.

ITEM VI.      PRESENTATION OF SELA PUBLICATIONS

            The Permanent Secretary will present the publications prepared by SELA during 2023, namely: Journal Convergencia focused on disaster risk; the book Nichos Productivos; the book Integración Regional; and the book El SELA. He will also make a presentation of the new Web portal of the organisation.

ITEM VII.     BUDGET OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARIAT FOR 2024

            The Permanent Secretariat will present the “Draft Administrative Budget of the Permanent Secretariat for the year 2024” (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 5-23) and its rationale. 

ITEM VIII.    ADMINISTRATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL MATTERS 

          The Permanent Secretariat will bring forward the Audit Report on the Financial Statements of the Permanent Secretariat and the Proposed Audit for Fiscal Year 2023.

1. Administrative matters

• Audit Report on the Financial Statements of the Permanent Secretariat:

       The Permanent Secretariat will present the Audit Report on the Financial Statements of the Permanent Secretariat for 2022.

• Proposed Audit for Fiscal Year

       The Permanent Secretariat will present the Proposed Audit for Fiscal Year 2023. 

ITEM IX.      OTHER MATTERS

1. Election of the new Bureau

The new Bureau is elected for the period 2023-2024, which will take office at the close of the present Regular Meeting of the Latin American Council.

2. Election of a Member of the Administrative Tribunal

The election of a Member of the Administrative Tribunal for the period from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026 will be announced, in accordance with Decision N°370 of the Latin American Council.

3. Draft Decision for the modification of the structure of the Administrative Tribunal 

The Administrative Tribunal shall submit for consideration of the Latin American Council the updated Rules of Procedure of the Administrative Tribunal, with the incorporation of the figure of “Alternate Magistrate” to guarantee the due conformation of the Tribunal.

4. Draft Decision on the Public Policy Index for SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean 

The Decision aimed at declaring the Public Policy Index of Latin America and the Caribbean for SMEs as a regional public good is submitted for consideration of the Latin American Council.

PART II
THEMES FOR WORK
PREPARATORY STAGE
5 DECEMBER 2023

Morning

11:00 AM – 11:05 AM    OPENING REMARKS BY THE CHAIR OF THE LATIN AMERICAN COUNCIL

11:05 AM – 01:00 PM     OPENING OF THE PREPARATORY STAGE

• Approval of the Annotated agenda and themes for work (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 2-23).
• Presentation of the “Forty-seventh Annual Report of the Permanent Secretariat” (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 3-23). 
• Presentation of the updated Work Programme for 2022-2026” (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 4-23).
• Presentation of the “Draft Administrative Budget of the Permanent Secretariat for 2024” (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 5-23).
• Presentation of the “Audit Report on the Financial Statements of the Permanent Secretariat” (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 6-23) and the “Proposed Audit for Fiscal Year 2023” (SP/CL/XLIX.O/DT Nº 7-23).
• Other matters.
  • Election of the new Bureau for 2023-2024.
  • Election of Member of the Administrative Tribunal for 2024-2026.
  • Draft Decision for the modification of the structure of the Administrative Tribunal.
  • Draft Decision on the Public Policy Index for SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean

As usual, any other initiatives from the Member States or the Permanent Secretariat of SELA are welcome.

THEMES FOR WORK
MINISTERIAL STAGE
6 DECEMBER 2023 

11:00 AM -01:00 PM        OPENING OF THE MINISTERIAL STAGE

1. Opening remarks by the representative of the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the host country.

2. Remarks by the Chair of the Latin American Council.

3. Remarks by the Permanent Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System.

MINISTERIAL PLENARY SESSION

1. Approval of decisions.

• Updated Work Programme for 2022-2026.
• Draft Administrative Budget of the Permanent Secretariat for 2024.
• Audit Report on the Financial Statements of the Permanent Secretariat at 31 December 2022.
• Proposed Audit for Fiscal Year 2023.
• Draft Decision for the modification of the structure of the Administrative Tribunal.
• Draft Decision to Endorse the Public Policy Index for MSMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean as a regional public good.

2. Handover of the Chair of the Latin American Council to the new Bureau.
3. Comments by the accredited authorities.

CLOSING REMARKS BY THE CHAIR OF THE LATIN AMERICAN COUNCIL.

PART III
DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL

Working papers:

DT 1       Draft agenda
DT 2       Annotated agenda and themes for work
DT 3       Forty-seventh Annual Report of the Permanent Secretariat
DT 4       Draft Work Programme for 2024
DT 5       Draft Administrative Budget of the Permanent Secretariat for 2024
DT 6       Audit Report on the Financial Statements of the Permanent Secretariat at 31 December 2022
DT 7       Proposed Audit for Fiscal Year 2023