DECLARATION
of Antigua
We, the Presidents of Costa Rica, El Salvador, the United States of America, Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, and the Prime Minister of Belize, meeting in
Antigua, Guatemala, on March 11, 1999, welcome the special opportunity afforded by this
meeting to secure a prosperous future for our peoples after the devastation brought by Hurricanes
Mitch and Georges.
Hurricane Mitch was the worst disaster in the history of our Hemisphere, killing nearly 10,000
people, affecting at least 6 million others, and causing property damage totaling approximately
$6 billion. Aware of the enormous impact on our countries of this disaster, we are meeting to
combine efforts to rebuild and transform the region in such a way as to bring swifter
development that will ensure the prosperity of all our citizens.
For the first time in the history of our region, all our countries are enjoying peace, stability,
democracy, and freedom. Preserving these achievements requires decisive, forward-looking
action in order to avoid jeopardizing the stability of our countries achieved through great
sacrifice and to stay on the course of progress.
In a spirit of solidarity, the Central American Presidents gathered for a special, emergency
meeting in Comalapa, El Salvador, on November 9, 1998, to appeal to the international
community for solidarity and to adopt joint decisions on how best to coordinate our efforts to
help one another in the task of rebuilding and transformation.
Despite the tragedy we face, we recognize that the current situation also offers a unique
opportunity to reconstruct our economies, transform our societies, and lay the economic
foundation for sustained growth to prepare our nations to meet the challenges of the twenty-first
century. With our own efforts and with the staunch, sustained support of the international
community, we will overcome the challenges ahead.
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