Agreement 016-2025

This agreement protects as confidential all documents related to the Free Trade Treaty between Honduras and China during negotiations, specifically confidential information received from other countries. It aims to safeguard Honduras' commercial strategies to ensure successful negotiations and benefit national productive sectors.

Whereas it is within the authority of the Executive Branch to celebrate or ratify international agreements with foreign States or international organizations or to accede to them.

Whereas the conduct of commercial negotiations with efficiency, ethics, and responsibility constitutes an obligation of this Secretariat of State, in such a way that success in commercial negotiations is guaranteed for the benefit of the various sectors of the Honduran population in general.

Whereas the Government of the Republic of Honduras, through the Joint Declaration of the Presidents of Honduras and the People's Republic of China (CHINA), held on June 12, 2023, in the city of Beijing, China, initiated the process of negotiation with China of a Free Trade Agreement with the objective of establishing a free trade zone between their territories.

Whereas the launch of the negotiation process took place on July 4, 2023, subsequently agreeing in the first Round on the Terms of Reference for the Negotiation.

Whereas during the process of negotiation and subsequent implementation of the Free Trade Agreement with China, information will be generated that by its nature should be considered as confidential, by virtue of the need to safeguard national economic interests, since its disclosure would result, among other things, in the weakening of national negotiation strategies.

Whereas the Law of Transparency and Access to Public Information approved by the National Congress through Decree No. 170-2006 of November 24, 2006, and its Regulations, identifies as one of its objectives the guarantee of protection of information classified as confidential by resolutions of public sector institutions.

Whereas through resolution No. SO-259-2024 EXP 008-2023-CI SEC, issued by the Institute of Access to Public Information, in relation to the classification of Public Information as Confidential, it resolved to declare Partially in Favor the request for classification of Public Information stipulating as confidential uniquely and exclusively the information related, for the duration of the negotiations of the Free Trade Agreement with China, emphasizing that the Confidentiality be uniquely and exclusively in the information that is delivered to the State of Honduras by other States with the character of Confidential and that said Information is not contrary to the Constitution of the Republic and the International Treaties in force, for the duration of the international negotiations as determined by article 17, numeral 5) of the Law of Transparency and Access to Public Information.

Whereas in accordance with Article 17, numeral 5) of the aforementioned Law, the conduct of negotiations and international relations may be declared as confidential information.

Whereas the negotiation process with China constitutes a commitment of the State of Honduras, assumed at the highest level and which is framed in the best national interest, public interest, and the national producing sector.

Whereas the University Board of Directors, on April 5, 2024, approved the Regulation on Position Valuation, Salary Scale, and Salary Administration Policy for Administrative, Technical, and Service Personnel and the Teaching Career of the National Forestry Sciences University (UNACIFOR), which entered into force the day following its publication in the Official Newspaper La Gaceta, on June 4, 2024.

Whereas the cited Regulation in its article 70 mandates that the Teaching Career Council is the collegial body responsible for advising the authorities and governing bodies of UNACIFOR. Furthermore, it has the responsibility of planning the policy of the teaching career, as well as applying this regulation and the provisions issued by university governing bodies in this matter.

Whereas it is an attribution of the Teaching Career Council under article 71, subsection j, to elaborate procedure manuals of the system.

Whereas article 91 establishes that the selection of teachers by competition shall be made applying the point system, which must be elaborated by the Teaching Career Council and approved by the University Board of Directors, and the Competition Commission is obligated to comply with this provision.

Whereas the cited Regulation in its article 190 mandates that the Teaching Career Council elaborate the