Media Center

Press Release

Haiti and Panama to Chair the Committees on Hemispheric Security and Juridical and Political Affairs of the OAS Permanent Council

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today chose the Permanent Representative of Haiti, Duly Brutus, as the Chair of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CSH), and the Permanent Representative of Panama, Arturo Vallarino, as Chair of the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs (CAJP), during a regular meeting.

Expressing his appreciation at being chosen for the position he will hold until June next year, Ambassador Brutus said that "with regard to the development of security we still have a long way to go. In the Haitian Mission we are learning about the various dimensions of the Security Committee and will contribute to the process by making the issue more dynamic, to allow the construction of a peaceful and stable future for the Americas." The Permanent Representative of Guatemala, José Rodrigo Vielmann, was chosen as Vice Chair of the Committee.

For his part, Ambassador Vallarino, who will chair the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs, said that "we will put into practice our knowledge and experience in carrying out this work. We hope to do the best work we can in a commission of such importance within the Organization, where virtually all the issues are legal or political." The Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the OAS, Diego Pary, will assume the Vice Chair of the CAJP.

During the meeting, the Council expressed its condolences and sympathy to the people and Government of Argentina for the deaths and injuries occurred in the collapse of a building in Rosario. On behalf of the Council, the Chair and Permanent Representative of Paraguay, Martin Sannemann, said "we asked the representation of Argentina to transmit our condolences to the government and the families of the people affected by this tragedy," he said. The OAS Secretary for External Relations, Alfonso Quiñonez, on behalf of the Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, joined the expressions of sympathy made by several representations and shared the message of solidarity announced by the Chair of the Council. "We regret this tragedy that is now afflicting the Argentine people," he added.

On another agenda item, the Council agreed that the Meeting of the Subsidiary Technical Group on Police Management will take place on September 19 and 20, in Mexico, as part of preparations for the next Ministerial Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security in the Americas (MISPA).

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

The video of the event will be available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-297/13