- 29 - DECLARATION OF MARGARITA Recommendations of the High level Meeting on Poverty, Equity and Social Inclusion We, the high level authorities of the Member States of the Organization of American States, those responsible for social development policies and programs, meeting on Isla Margarita, Venezuela, on the 8th, 9th, 10th of October 2003, CONSIDERING: That the Charter of the Organization of American States establishes as one of it central purposes the eradication of critical poverty, which represents an obstacle to the full democratic development of the peoples of the hemisphere the commitment ratified by the Resolutions AG/RES. 1854 (XXXII-O/02) AG/RES. 1962 (XXXIII-O/03), priority that it is inspired in the principles of inter-American solidarity and cooperation in the search for equity and social justice and the integral development of its peoples. That the Inter-American Democratic Charter reaffirms “that the fight against poverty, and especially the elimination of extreme poverty, is essential to the promotion and consolidation of democracy and constitutes a common and shared responsibility of the American states;” That the Declaration of Santiago on Democracy and Public Trust: A New commitment to good governance for the Americas states that Strengthening democratic governance calls for the elimination of poverty and social exclusion and the promotion of equitable economic growth by means of sound public polices and practices that promote equal opportunity, education health and full employment; The Millennium Declaration, in which Heads of State and Government of the world declared that they would “spare no efforts to liberate men, women, and children from the abject, dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty”, the Monterrey Consensus on financing for development, as well as the commitments on sustainable development and other international agreements on social development issues agreed upon at the hemispheric level, the United Nations and other multilateral forums. The importance and interest in advancing the regional and sub-regional integration processes in the Hemisphere. That the Special Summit of the Americas to be held in Mexico will address the issues of economic growth with equity, social development y democratic governance. WE DECLARE: 1. Our determination and our commitment to urgently combat the serious problems of poverty, social exclusion and inequity that affect, in varying degrees, the countries of the hemisphere; and to face the causes that generate them and its consequences, and create favorable conditions for socio-economic development with equity to promote more just societies.