A. PAN AMERICAN HIGHWAY CONGRESS

Organization of American States, Washington, D.C.

Origin and Development: The concept of a transportation artery linking the Americas originated in the 1880's, first in the form of an intercontinental railway system. At the Fifth Conference of American States held in Santiago, Chile, the groundwork was laid for an automobile road conference to consider construction of an inter-American highway system between the United States and the Latin American nations. This first conference was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1925, during which the participants created the Pan American Highway Congress as a permanent institution. A permanent organization plan for the Pan American Highway Congresses was adopted by the Organization of American States in 1954. Successive conferences have been held generally every three years.

Purpose: The purpose of the Congress is to promote road building and to inform _member governments, the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Economic and Social Council on matters relating to highway planning, construction and maintenance.

Structure: The Pan American Highway Congress, held every three years, is comprised of representatives of the OAS member nations. Its governing body is a Permanent Executive Committee attached to the Inter-American Economic and Social Council, composed of specialists representing nine of the member countries, whose function is to implement the resolutions of the Congress. There are five permanent technical committees: Development of Government Highway Agencies, Planning, Finance, Terminology, and Traffic and Safety. Čurrently there are seven special project subcommittees.

Membership: The 23 member nations of the Organization of American States (all except Cuba).

Initial Date of U.S. Participation: 1925.

Current Authority for U.S. Participation: 51 Stat. 152 (1937); 72 Stat. 909-914 (1958), 23 U.S.C., 309.

Principal sources: The Pan American highway system: a compilation of official data on the present status of the Pan American highway system in the Latin American republics. Washington, General Secretariat of the Organization of American States, 1969.

Europa Year Book 1972. Vol. 1. London, Europa Publications Ltd., 1972.

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