OAS Participates in Consultation/Workshop on the African Union Diaspora Flagship Legacy Projects

March 25, 2013
Washington, DC

The OAS, represented by the Director of the Department of International Affairs, Mr. Jorge Sanín, participated in the Consultation/Workshop on the African Union Diaspora Flagship Legacy Projects co-organized by the African Union Commission and the World Bank.

The Workshop is one of many follow-up activities to the first African Global Diaspora Summit held in Sandton, South Africa on 25 May 2012, which ended with the adoption of a Declaration that would serve as the fundamental law of the African Union Diaspora Program.

Mr. Sanin spoke about the experience of the OAS working with the Haitian diaspora in the aftermath of the massive earthquake that shook Haiti on January 12, 2010, mobilizing the Haitian Diaspora. He recalled that the OAS convened the Haitian Diaspora Forum at the Headquarters of the Organization on March 22-23, 2010 in an effort to support the Diaspora as it strove to coordinate and channel its capacities and resources for the rebuilding of their homeland.

Talking about lessons learned from the Haitian Diaspora Forum, he stressed the need for re-directing remittances into investment for development, allowing Diaspora to retain their citizenship, and creating the mechanisms that allow for the validation of foreign credentials, thus allowing for an easier flow of skilled professionals who may wish to return to their home country to use their skills.

The OAS General Assembly adopted Resolution AG/RES. 2419 on June 3, 2008, calling for deeper cooperation between the African Union and the OAS, in particular on areas of common interest to “include inter alia democracy promotion”. This framework document became the Memorandum of Understanding between the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and the Commission of the African Union signed on October 1, 2009.

President of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)

February 26, 2013
Washington, DC

OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza met with the head of Interpol, Ms. Ballestrazi to explore possibilities for cooperation to build upon the existing agreement between the OAS and Interpol, dated May 2, 2000, which enables the parties to jointly benefit from closer collaboration for the prevention and suppression of crime, including but not limited to corruption, terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, illicit firearms trafficking, economic crimes, and fraud.

During the meeting, Secretary General Insulza highlighted the work of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) to prevent attacks and protect the people of the Americas, as well as the Organization’s multidimensional approach to security. The Secretary for Multidimensional Security, Ambassador Adam Blackwell, was also present to further explain ongoing initiatives of the OAS.

For her part, President Ballestrazzi highlighted how Interpol approaches the challenges posed by the threat of terrorism and organized crime, and how Interpol is working on these topics around the region. And expressed a great interest in the region’s efforts to curb the flow and consumption of illegal drugs as well as the resulting violence and criminal activities, such as money laundering.

With 190 member countries, INTERPOL is the largest international police organization, and its role is to support and assist all organizations, authorities and services to prevent or combat international crime.

OAS Secretary General Participates in Meeting of the Informal Advisory Panel of the President of the 67th United Nations General Assembly

February 21-22, 2013
Paris, France

The Secretary General of the OAS), José Miguel Insulza, participated in the High Level Meeting of the Informal Advisory Panel of the President of the United Nations General Assembly, convened by the President of the General Assembly and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Vuk Jeremic, under the theme “The Future of the United Nations in a Challenging World”.

Other notable participants included former Swiss President and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, and the former Foreign Ministers of Spain, Indonesia, and Kuwait, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Hassan Wirajuda and Mohammed Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah, respectively.

The members of the Informal Advisory Panel discussed the contemporary global challenges facing the UN as well as the role of the United Nations in setting and supporting the global development agenda, the institutional reform of the UN and budgetary matters.

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon Meets with OAS Secretary General and OAS Permanent Council

February 13, 2013
Washington, DC

The Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Ban Ki-Moon paid a visit to the headquarters of the OAS to meet with OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza and address the Permanent Council of the OAS.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the political context in Latin America and the Caribbean, with special emphasis on the situation in Haiti, where the OAS, through its representative, and the UN, through the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), work closely. The two leaders also spoke about the role of the OAS in Colombia through the Mission to Support the Peace Process (MAPP/OEA), integration policies in the different sub-regions of the hemisphere, and issues related to hemispheric migration.

Secretary General Insulza updated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the progress made on the Report on the Drug Problem commissioned by the Heads of State and Government of the region at the Summit of the Americas in 2012. The UN Secretary-General showed a particular interest in the electoral processes underway in the region.

The meeting was followed by a Protocolary Meeting of the OAS Permanent Council, where he addressed the Permanent Representatives from OAS Member States, as well as OAS Officials and special guests from the diplomatic community. In his welcoming remarks, Secretary General Insulza recalled that the Americas and the United Nations have “forged deep and broad cooperation ties, an unparalleled level of collaboration that dates from its creation. Our region, a pioneer of multilateralism, did not hesitate in supporting the new international system that came into being at the San Francisco Conference in 1945. Of the 50 founding member states of the United Nations, 22 are from the Americas and are members of this Organization”.

For his part, the UN Secretary-General recognized the OAS as the world’s oldest regional organization and stressed the importance of an even deeper strategic partnership among us, declaring himself convinced “that the United Nations can play a greater role in your region — just as your region can play an ever more important role in the UN. The time is right. You have experiences to share … ideas to spread … energy to help fuel global solutions”.

The Protocolary Meeting was followed by a private luncheon for the UN Delegation, hosted by the Secretary General of the OAS.

Secretary General José Miguel Insulza meets with Incoming PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne

February 7, 2013
Washington, DC

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States José Miguel Insulza paid a visit to the headquarters of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to meet with its incoming Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne and wish her well as she undertakes the many challenges of her new role.

Secretary General Insulza and Director Etienne discussed the joint work of the OAS and PAHO, most notably in Group of Friends of Haiti; the use of ICTs for health improvement; drug abuse; gender issues; childhood welfare; agriculture and rural health. The Secretary General highlighted the work of the PAHO in its regional strategy for the control of non-contagious diseases.

Their meeting also included a discussion of the valuable input that PAHO has provided to the OAS for the preparation of the Report on the Drug Problem in the Americas, which the OAS is preparing in response to a mandate from the Sixth Summit of the Americas, which took place in April, 2012, in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

Dr. Etienne was elected Director of PAHO at the 28th Pan American Sanitary Conference in 2012; her term will run from February 1, 2013 until February 1, 2018.

“From Our Hearts to the Americas”: The OAS hosts photo exhibit showcasing the humanitarian work of the Sovereign Order of Malta in the Americas

January 23, 2013
Washington, DC

The Organization of American States (OAS) in collaboration with the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta hosted a photography exhibition “From Our Hearts to the Americas”, followed by a reception on January 23rd at the Hall of the Americas at OAS Headquarters.

The OAS Secretary for External Relations, Ambassador Alfonso Quiñónez highlighted how the work of the Order of Malta has touched the lives of many people in our region and around the world in their hour of need, especially through its medical and reconstruction missions in countries like Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where natural disasters have struck recently.

Ambassador Prezemyslaw Jan Hauser, Ambassador-at-large of the Order of Malta to South America discussed some of the programs that the Order carries out all over the region to help the most vulnerable population: homeless and disabled children, HIV positive mothers and infants, and those living in poverty.

The event featured a short video presentation about the Order of Malta as well as dozens of photographs showcasing the humanitarian work of the Order in Latin America.

OAS Secretary General and the President of the World Bank discuss stronger cooperation and closer ties

January 16, 2013
Washington, DC

The Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza met with the President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim at the World Bank’s headquarters to discuss the most relevant issues of the hemispheric agenda as well as to explore avenues for closer cooperation.

During their meeting, Dr. Insulza and Dr, Kim highlighted the value of the synergies that have developed when both organizations have worked together to reach common goals and expressed their desire to become more engaged in each other’s work within the scope of their respective mandates. In the past decade, cooperation between the World Bank and the OAs has centered on the Joint Summit Working Group and supporting the implementation of projects in the field of sustainable development, and the goal is to extend cooperation to other areas.

Also present at the meeting were Ambassador Hugo de Zela (Chief Staff of the Secretary General), Ambassador Alfonzo Quiñónez (Secretary for External Relations, OAS), Mr. Hasan Tuluy (Vice President, Latin America and Caribbean, World Bank) and Mr. J. Humberto Lopez (Deputy Chief of Staff, World Bank).

The World Bank Group has underpinned Latin America and the Caribbean’s development agenda. $ 6.6 billion in new loans were approved in fiscal year 2012.