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New Permanent Representative of Canada to the OAS Presents Credentials

The new Permanent Representative of Canada to the Organization of American States (OAS), Allan Culham, today presented his credentials to the Secretary General of the Organization, José Miguel Insulza, during a ceremony that was also attended by OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin and the Permanent Representative of Ecuador and Chair of the Permanent Council, María Isabel Salvador.

Ambassador Culham said that “it is a pleasure to be involved in the affairs of the Americas again, having served in various countries in the region for many happy years.” The Canadian diplomat, the fifth permanent representative of his country to the Organization, said he was glad to join the hemispheric institution on this the North American country’s 20th anniversary at the OAS.

“I will continue Canada’s commitment to this organization,” he said and, addressing the diplomats present, added that “here at the OAS I hope to rely on your support, especially in the first days and months of my learning. For my part, I will do what is possible to ease our work and thus meet our commitments.”

Secretary General Insulza said he felt convinced of the success the Canadian diplomat would achieve in his new tasks: “You come from a country that has been so supportive to the Organization all these years. Canada is one of the youngest members of the OAS, but in these years you have really provided a lot of services to the Organization and we are really appreciative of that.” He emphasized that “we are carrying out some very important programs with your support and we also always count on the political wisdom and balance of the Canadian delegation. When things get rough, usually Canada has a way to achieve consensus and at the same time to defend the values and principles for which our Organization stands.”

Ambassador Culham, who succeeds Graeme C. Clark as Permanent Representative of Canada to the OAS, was born in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada. Until recently served as Vice-President, Pan-Geographic, at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), responsible for its Business Modernization Initiative. Among other positions, he has held those of Executive Director of the International Affairs, Immigration and Defense Division of the Treasury Board Secretariat; Inspector General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, in Ottawa; and Canada’s Ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and to Guatemala and El Salvador. He holds a Bachelors degree in Economics from Queen’s University, 1973, and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Western Ontario, 1974.

The ceremony was held in the office of the Secretary General at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC.

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

Reference: E-324/10