BOGOTA

Latin America and Caribbean Regional Meeting for Salt Producers with Public Health Officials engaged in Universal Salt Iodization for Sustained Elimination of Iodine Deficiency Disorders Santa Fe de Bogota
November 28 ñ December 1, 1999

The Bogota Declaration

We, the producers and traders of food-grade salt, public health officials and other participants engaged in Universal Salt Iodization (USI) programmes for the sustainable elimination of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), gathered in Bogot·, Colombia:

1.
Informed that our national leaders have signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which compels us to make the greatest efforts in support of the best interest of children in present and future generations;
2.
Considering that iodine deficiency is the main cause of preventable mental retardation world wide, and iodization of food-grade salt usually the safest, most cost-effective and culturally acceptable strategy for the control and sustainable elimination of IDD;
3.
Recognizing the mutually supportive efforts made by the coalition of the private salt sector, the national IDD control programs ie. public health officials, scientific bodies, civil society and the support of international agencies towards the achievement of the goal of sustainable elimination of IDD by the year 2000 as agreed at the 1990 World Summit for Children and endorsed by 1998 the Lima Accord;
4.
Welcoming the growing importance of private sector and non-governmental organisations in support of social policies generally and the sustainable elimination and permanent control of IDD in particular;
5.
Understanding the opportunity of using salt as a food vehicle for fortification with other micronutrients, such as fluoride;
6.
Concerned about recent scientific information and appreciative of the ecological mechanism, which imply a continued threat of the serious consequences of iodine deficiency in the population of our countries;
7.
And aware of the need to constantly renew and improve upon our actions on basis of consistent management oversight of our joint actions and achievements.

hereby agree to:

1.
Formulate the present Declaration on Salt Iodization for the Permanent Control and Sustainable Elimination of IDD, in support of the development and growth of children and adolescents in the next century and in compliance with the fundamental human right to nutrition and health. To this end, each country will make the necessary efforts to prepare and develop a sustainability plan;
2.
Promote new attitudes and operational styles by all sectors collaborating in IDD elimination programmes, with a view to support each other mutually and implement strategies that consolidate and sustain the achievements already obtained;
3.
Encourage the decision of all salt producers to continuously produce and offer top quality iodised salt and expand market coverage to all households at a reasonable price;
4.
Pursue the permanent political will of our national leaders to continue supporting the successful intervention of salt iodization, ensure budgetary support, demand strict compliance with regulatory requirements and quality performance of officials in oversight responsibilities;
5.
Maintain regular monitoring of activities regarding the quality production of the product; of the quality performance of the processes of the national endeavour; and the quality progress in human nutrition.
6.
Seek creative alliances among iodised salt producers, public health officials, non-governmental organisations, scientists, communication experts and leaders in society to apply rights-focused education, communication and social mobilisation actions that generate a new social norm for the consumption of iodised salt, along with citizen oversight of its quality and sustenance;
7.
Encourage public officials, private producers, International Agencies and experts to work together in the creation of a Trust Fund for implementing a regional communication programme on the consumption of properly iodised salt by the whole population. We recommend that UNICEF develop a plan for this purpose, incorporating full participation of the children of Latin America and the Caribbean;
8.
Urge the Ministries of Education to include in the formal and non-formal education systems of our countries, the essential importance of iodine and the need to consume only iodised salt;
9.
Request the Kiwanis International World Service Project to focus their support for IDD programmes on those countries that have made insufficient progress in the quest against iodine deficiency, so that before the end of the year 2000 they will have effective USI strategies in place to be implemented;
10.
Call upon the UN agencies, especially WHO/PAHO and UNICEF, to continue to request States Members to sustain priority for elimination of IDD on the political agenda by regular reporting and consideration of the national status of IDD elimination;
11.
Request UN and other international agencies to arrange a meeting of all relevant parties to agree on a system of assured access to raw materials by salt producers, particular potassium iodate and appropriate, suitable packaging equipment, at fair and competitive prices and according to market demand and national consumption needs;
12.
Request the American Pro-Tempore Secretariat for the follow-up of the goals of the World Summit on Children to send this declaration to all Heads of State and Government for their consideration;
13.
Present this Declaration at the 8th World Salt Symposium Salt 2000 in The Hague, in May 2000, as commitment from the Latin American and Caribbean region to contribute to the control and sustained elimination from the planet of the scourge of IDD.