Our Mission

The DIA is charged with advising the Secretary General and the OAS General Secretariat, as well as the legislative bodies of the Organization on external relations and resource mobilization. Its main duties focus on strengthening and maintaining relations with the Permanent Observers to the OAS, advise the technical departments on their external relations and resource mobilization activities, develop the monthly program of the Lecture Series of the Americas, create and maintain a close relationship with civil society and with the agencies of the United Nations and the Inter American System in order to further the OAS agenda, organize roundtables and briefings for diverse audiences on the work and the priorities of the Organization and coordinate the OAS Model General Assembly (MOAS) for schools and universities, in order to achieve the Organization’s main goal of improving the lives of all the citizens of the Americas.

To that effect, the Department creates, organizes, manages and promotes different programs and outreach activities such as:

  • The Lecture Series;
  • The OAS Policy Roundtables; enriching the discussion of the hemispheric agenda by engaging policy analysts with the diplomatic community and the public at large in a dialogue on the most important issues affecting the region. This program promotes informal dialogue between specialists and opinion leaders on a broad range of topics that are relevant for the OAS;

  • MOAS for High Schools and Universities; a simulation of the real OAS General Assembly held at OAS Headquarters and OAS Member States; MOAS Permanent Council developed for OAS interns;

  • Regional and Sub regional Civil Society Forums; promoting the participation of civil society in all OAS activities and creating spaces for dialogue and partnership between civil society organizations and OAS Member States;
  • The briefings and tours program offered to diplomats, government officials, academic personnel, political analysts, students and the general public, provides an in-depth glimpse into the work of the OAS.