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Assistant Secretary General of the OAS Commends Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs for Advancing Goals of the VII Summit of the Americas: “Prosperity with Equity.”

Speaking to more than 400 youth participants and entrepreneurs, including 40 young Cubans participating for the first time, at the Opening of the IV Youth Forum of the Americas, the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, Albert Ramdin, recognized the high level of innovation, creativity, and leadership that young people brought to the Summit of the Americas. 
 
Ambassador Ramdin applauded the talent and enthusiasm of the group of young entrepreneurs. “I believe your hard work, business ideas and proposals demonstrate your level of commitment to the future development of your countries,” he said. “You have demonstrated through your achievements that you are already striving to meet the challenge of the VII Summit goals: ‘Prosperity with Equity.’”
 
In this regard, the Assistant Secretary General highlighted the importance of recognizing the progress made by Latin American countries in improving their education systems, particularly in the last two decades. “Without education there simply cannot be prosperity with equity. Governments have increased spending on education, expanded cooperation with international financial institutions and other donors, largely achieving the educational milestones established through the Meetings of Ministers and the Summit of the Americas process.”  According to the World Bank, he said, Latin America is close to attaining the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of having universal primary enrollment by 2015, with 97% of students enrolled in primary school.
 
“The Young Americas Forum at the Summit and the X Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas and the VI Eco Challenge show us all that in making the dreams of youth a reality, we must recognize the youth of the Americas as a strategic segment of our population that cannot and should not be neglected,” stressed the Assistant Secretary General. He further noted the talent and creativity of the young entrepreneurs and he said they serve as an inspiration for the whole of the Hemisphere.
 
“Over the years, the OAS has continually worked to show its firm commitment to youth development, but much more effective is to develop policies and create employment opportunities with the youth themselves,” said Ambassador Ramdin.
 
The senior OAS official praised the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), which commemorated its 15th anniversary during the Summit, and the early visionaries of YABT, Roy Thomasson, Ambassador Jeanette Hyde, and the late Lou Ferrand, who took the fundamental first steps to make these initiatives a reality.  “YABT’s success over the years came from their vision and their willingness to be entrepreneurs as many of you here today are.  Without those steps and continuing commitment, none of this would have happened.”
 
In closing, the Assistant Secretary General emphasized his personal commitment to furthering the work of member states to fully implement an OAS Strategy on Youth that seeks to help governments advance youth development over the long-term through effective policies and programs, particularly in leadership and entrepreneurship.
 
With Ambassador Ramdin at the Opening of the Youth Forum of the Americas were the Vice President and Foreign Minister of Panama, Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado; the Minister of Social Development of Panama, Alcibiades Vasquez Velasquez; the Country Manager for the World Bank, Anabela Abreu; the General Manager of Pepsico Beverages of Latin America, Leonel Ruiz; and the Executive Director of YABT, Valerie Lorena.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

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

Reference: E-129/15