June 7, 2013 - DECLARATION OF ANTIGUA GUATEMALA “FOR A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY AGAINST THE WORLD DRUG PROBLEM IN THE AMERICAS”

(Adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 6, 2013).

 All declarations and resolutions approved by the 43rd General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) are available here.

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, met today with the Deputy Director General, Head of Latin America and Caribbean Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Ambassador Pinchas Avivi, in the framework of the OAS XLIII General Assembly, held from June 4 to 6 in the city of La Antigua, Guatemala.

During the meeting, the Israeli diplomat expressed to Secretary General Insulza, the interest of his Government to deepen cooperation with countries in the Hemisphere through the OAS. He noted that the areas in which Israel’s contribution can be most effective are specifically related to water, energy, security and technological innovation.

Ambassador Alfonso Quinonez, Secretary for External Relations of the OAS was also present in the meeting.

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The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, met today with the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the OAS, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, H.E. Archbishop Francis Chullikat, who is in La Antigua Guatemala participating in the OAS General Assembly that concludes today.

During the meeting, the Apostolic Nuncio expressed his interest in the programs developed by the OAS in the Member States, and welcomed the efforts undertaken by the General Secretariat in the peace process between the "maras" that is unfolding in El Salvador, hoping that these can be replicated elsewhere in Central America.

Also present in the meeting were the Secretary for External Relations of the OAS, Ambassador Alfonso Quinonez, and the Apostolic Nuncio to Guatemala, H.E. Archbishop Nicolas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin.

The Holy See has been Permanent Observer to the OAS since 1978.

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Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, joining the member states’ Heads of Delegation in the Guatemalan city of La Antigua for a dialogue with representatives of thirty seven Permanent Observer countries, thanked the Permanent Observer countries for their ongoing commitment to and support for the Organization’s activities.

The dialogue, on Tuesday, was among activities held ahead of the inauguration of the forty-third regular session of the OAS General Assembly, from June 4 to 6.

“Permanent Observer support has had a tremendous impact on this Organization’s work, especially in the areas of democracy promotion, human rights, humanitarian demining, conflict resolution, combating drug trafficking and terrorism, promoting gender equality, and sustainable development, among others,” the Secretary General stated.

In terms of specific programs for which the OAS received contributions over the past year, the Secretary General cited the Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP), the Program for Universal Civil Registry and the Right to Identity (PUICA), the Office in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone, and Electoral Observation Missions.

Mr. Insulza went on to explain that “these dialogues, which began in 2004 at the General Assembly in Quito, Ecuador, provide an opportunity to exchange views on the issues and priorities of the inter-American agenda, particularly on the central theme of the General Assembly. Since their inception, we have continued to explore ways to enrich and deepen them.”

He touched on the theme of the forty-third regular session of the General Assembly, “For a Comprehensive Policy against the World Drug Problem in the Americas,” and on the contribution made by the OAS through the Report on the Problem of Drugs in the Americas, which proposes a variety of approaches to address it and hypothetical future scenarios. “This is an issue that affects our countries and our citizens in terms of health, consolidation of democracy, human rights, security, access to justice, and economic development, among other areas,” he said.

Guatemala’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Fernando Carrera Castro, meanwhile, noted that the purpose of the dialogue with the observers was to “share ideas about the central theme of the Assembly and about the contribution that those countries are making in support of mandates the OAS has received.” Foreign Minister Carrera also expressed the Guatemalan government’s hope that the General Assembly would encourage debate among member states to facilitate progress on a comprehensive policy to combat drugs.

During the dialogue, the representatives of Spain, the European Union, France, Italy, Germany, Israel, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, the Russian Federation, Estonia, Serbia, the Netherlands, Monaco, Croatia, Portugal, China, Austria, the Philippines, India, Thailand, Greece, and South Korea shared their own countries’ experiences and perspectives regarding efforts to tackle drug trafficking, as well as lessons learned and examples that could serve as a basis and for analysis for Western Hemisphere countries.

In their statements, the Permanent Observer delegates announced future support for specific OAS programs. They also commended the initiative to approach the issue of drugs from a joint perspective, and applauded the multi-sectoral perspective outlined in the Report on the Drug Problem, recently prepared by the OAS. They noted further that the region had unique characteristics, principles, and priorities that should be considered as a central part of the debate on drugs.

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Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, joining the member states’ Heads of Delegation in the Guatemalan city of La Antigua for a dialogue with representatives of thirty seven Permanent Observer countries, thanked the Permanent Observer countries for their ongoing commitment to and support for the Organization’s activities.

The dialogue, on Tuesday, was among activities held ahead of the inauguration of the forty-third regular session of the OAS General Assembly, from June 4 to 6.

“Permanent Observer support has had a tremendous impact on this Organization’s work, especially in the areas of democracy promotion, human rights, humanitarian demining, conflict resolution, combating drug trafficking and terrorism, promoting gender equality, and sustainable development, among others,” the Secretary General stated.

In terms of specific programs for which the OAS received contributions over the past year, the Secretary General cited the Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP), the Program for Universal Civil Registry and the Right to Identity (PUICA), the Office in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone, and Electoral Observation Missions.

Mr. Insulza went on to explain that “these dialogues, which began in 2004 at the General Assembly in Quito, Ecuador, provide an opportunity to exchange views on the issues and priorities of the inter-American agenda, particularly on the central theme of the General Assembly. Since their inception, we have continued to explore ways to enrich and deepen them.”

He touched on the theme of the forty-third regular session of the General Assembly, “For a Comprehensive Policy against the World Drug Problem in the Americas,” and on the contribution made by the OAS through the Report on the Problem of Drugs in the Americas, which proposes a variety of approaches to address it and hypothetical future scenarios. “This is an issue that affects our countries and our citizens in terms of health, consolidation of democracy, human rights, security, access to justice, and economic development, among other areas,” he said.

Guatemala’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Fernando Carrera Castro, meanwhile, noted that the purpose of the dialogue with the observers was to “share ideas about the central theme of the Assembly and about the contribution that those countries are making in support of mandates the OAS has received.” Foreign Minister Carrera also expressed the Guatemalan government’s hope that the General Assembly would encourage debate among member states to facilitate progress on a comprehensive policy to combat drugs.

During the dialogue, the representatives of Spain, the European Union, France, Italy, Germany, Israel, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, the Russian Federation, Estonia, Serbia, the Netherlands, Monaco, Croatia, Portugal, China, Austria, the Philippines, India, Thailand, Greece, and South Korea shared their own countries’ experiences and perspectives regarding efforts to tackle drug trafficking, as well as lessons learned and examples that could serve as a basis and for analysis for Western Hemisphere countries.

In their statements, the Permanent Observer delegates announced future support for specific OAS programs. They also commended the initiative to approach the issue of drugs from a joint perspective, and applauded the multi-sectoral perspective outlined in the Report on the Drug Problem, recently prepared by the OAS. They noted further that the region had unique characteristics, principles, and priorities that should be considered as a central part of the debate on drugs.

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José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), today met with the Director of the European External Action Service of the Eurepean Union, Christian Leffler, who is in Antigua, Guatemala, to attend the hemispheric body’s 43rd General Assembly, which opens today.

During their meeting, the two officials discussed the main topics to be addressed during the hemispheric assembly, paying particular attention to the drugs problem and its possible solutions. They also spoke about matters related to the two organizations’ cooperation work. 

The meeting was also attended by the OAS Secretary for External Relations, Ambassador Alfonso Quiñónez, and the Ambassador of the European Union in Guatemala, Stella Zervoudaki.

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The Organization of American States (OAS) and the government of Spain today signed agreements on the Operating Plan by which the European country will contribute more than $3.7 million over the next three years to finance programs of the Pan-American institution related to the promotion of peace, human rights, access to justice and policies on drugs and security.

The Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, recognized the interest of Spain to continue its support for the hemispheric organization. "We acknowledge with deep gratitude this contribution. Spain is the first observer country to the OAS, and since 2006 we have had a cooperation agreement that is renewed periodically. I wish we had a joint collaboration mechanism with other Permanent Observers such as the one we have with Spain," he said.

The OAS leader highlighted that the Spanish collaboration focuses on areas relevant to the hemispheric institution, which means that "we share priorities." He recalled that the pioneering model of the contributions of Spain puts special emphasis on transparency in "the implementation of the projects that we work on together, which are subject to external evaluators."

The Secretary General of International Cooperation for Development of Spain, Gonzalo Robles, said the Spanish contribution is intended for areas where the OAS General Secretariat has strengthened in recent years, such as human rights, institution building, electoral support and drug policy. "With this agreement Spain maintains its presence where it should be" said the Spanish official, and added that "the OAS plays an indispensable role in a hemisphere that is moving forward in many fields, not only in economic terms, but also in terms of institutionalization."

“Spain has been, is and will remain committed to Latin America and the OAS," said the Spanish official, adding that "to accompany Secretary General Insulza with his leadership of the OAS is a pleasure for us."

Among the projects that will receive financial support from the contribution of the government of Spain are: the Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia; the Promotion of the use of amicable solutions to the Inter-American Human Rights Commission for the protection of human rights in the Americas; strengthening the capacities of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to assess the state of compliance and enforcement of interim measures and to resolve particularly complex contentious cases; the consolidation of the National Judicial Facilitators Service in Paraguay, Phase IV; the Improvement of the hospital record system in El Salvador, Honduras and Paraguay; Strengthening Hemispheric Cooperation to Facilitate Access to Justice in the Americas (Phase I); Electoral Observation Missions; Strengthening Specialized Institutions for Assistance and Protection of Victims of Violence Generated by Organized Crime in Central America; the Continuous Reporting System on International Migration in the Americas (SICREMI); and the Strengthening of programs of prevention, mitigation, treatment and social inclusion on drugs at the local level.

The signing ceremony was held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, where a video was shown documenting the Spanish government's cooperation with the hemispheric organization, which can be downloaded here.

Before the ceremony, Secretary General Insulza received the Secretary General of Spanish Cooperation in his office in a meeting where they discussed issues of cooperation and the agenda of the OAS General Assembly to be held next week in Antigua, Guatemala. Secretary General Insulza was accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Hugo de Zela; the OAS Secretary for External Relations, Alfonso Quiñonez; and the adviser to the Secretary General, Ricardo Dominguez. Secretary General Robles was accompanied by the Permanent Observer of Spain to the OAS, Jorge Hevia; his alternate representative, Guillermo Marin; the Defense Adviser of Spain to the OAS, Lieutenant General Juan Carlos Villamía; and the Chief of Staff of Secretary Robles, José Ángel Manzano.

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The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, met today with Spain’s Secretary General for Defense Policy, Alejandro Enrique Alvargonzález, with whom he discussed issues related to hemispheric security; drug policy, the Ibero-American agenda and the cooperation between the hemispheric institution and the Spanish government.

Secretary General Insulza and Spain’s Secretary General for Defense Policy analyzed scenarios of defense collaboration, especially in natural disaster cooperation and security issues. 

The maximum representative of the OAS commented to the official Spanish about major aspects of the Report on the Drug Problem in the Americas, which the OAS recently presented to the Heads of State and Government of the Americas.The two also discussed drug trafficking routes from South America and the Caribbean to Europe -via Africa. 

The meeting, which took place at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, was attended by the OAS Secretary for Multidimensional Security (SMS), Adam Blackwell; the OAS Secretary for External Relations, Alfonso Quiñonez; the OAS SSM adviser, Alvaro Briones; The Permanent Observer of Spain to the OAS, Jorge Hevia; the Alternate Observer of Spain to the OAS, Guillermo Marin; and the Defense Adviser of Spain to the OAS, Lieutenant General Juan Carlos Villamía.

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The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today presented the Report on the Drug Problem in the Americas (Analytical Report - Scenarios Report ) to the members of the OAS Permanent Council, in a special meeting of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) in which he expressed his hope that the document is understood "not as a conclusion, but only as the beginning of a long awaited debate."

The Report, which was prepared by the hemispheric organization under the supervision of Secretary General Insulza pursuant to a mandate from the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, last year, will be at the center of discussions at the next OAS General Assembly, to be held from June 4 to 6, 2013 in Antigua, Guatemala. The central theme of the meeting of the highest political body of the OAS, chosen by the host country, will be "Toward a Comprehensive Anti-Drug Policy in the Americas."

Secretary General Insulza, upon presenting the report, said the document should not be seen to "cast doubts or raise questions about the progress that has been made so far in terms of collective action in our hemisphere on drugs, but rather should be understood to be based upon the identification of what serves the needs of each and that which serves the needs of all." "We believe we have opened a door to strengthening hemispheric action on an issue that affects all of our peoples alike, and requires, therefore, our collective commitment and solidarity," said the head of the hemispheric organization.

Insulza said that, by entrusting the Report to the OAS, "the Heads of State of our hemisphere assigned us a great responsibility. At the same time, they prescribed very precise limits for our response to it. That is why the Report I am presenting today lays out facts that will assist in decision-making, but does not propose solutions. That is up to our leaders, who will have a firm basis for their deliberations in future debates.”

"Nevertheless," said the Secretary General, "it is part of our duty and responsibility to contribute to those deliberations." Therefore, he presented four conclusions "that emanate directly from the analysis" in the Report: the drug problem must be dealt with taking into account each country’s different situation; countries with fewer resources and less institutional strength have more difficulty dealing with the impact of drug trafficking; the phenomenon requires a public health approach; and the approach to the problem must be multifaceted, flexible, must take into account differences, and the countries of the regions must be united in their diversity.

Secretary General Insulza emphasized that, regarding the decriminalization of drug use and the possibility of changes in national legislation that "it is clearly contradictory to say you want to treat drugs addict as people with an illness and at the same time, penalize them for their consumption.” He then clarified that "this does not mean that the patient does not need to be treated to remove them from their addiction and this could mean - if the addict threatens their own life or the security of others - a stay in a health facility. But we do not consider that sending serious addicts to prison is an appropriate treatment and, indeed, we think it can aggravate their condition even beyond the point of no return."

"With regard to criminal violence," said Secretary General, "we focus in the Report on the consideration of the possible reasons why this violence is present with greater intensity and virulence in some countries and not in others." "Our conclusion," he said, "is that it is very likely that this difference is due mainly to two reasons: the economic and social development, and especially the well differentiated capabilities of States to ensure the protection of their citizens and, mainly, to ensure that laws are complied with.” In terms of economic status, Insulza called attention to the fact that many of those who are recruited to participate in the drug trade "come from dispossessed social sectors." He said that this fact leads the Report to note that "social development and the elimination of social exclusion, particularly in producer and transit countries, lie at the core of overcoming the drug problem."

The Report, delivered by the Secretary General on Friday, May 17, 2013, to the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, consists of two parts: the Analytical Report, explaining the reasons that have caused concern in society about drug consumption and which have led to attempts to control the effects of drugs on human health; and the Scenarios Report, an examination of the paths that the phenomenon could take in the hemisphere in the coming years.

After the presentation of the Report by the Secretary General, the 53rd Regular Session of CICAD began, in which experts and authorities will discuss the findings and implications of the Report for the hemisphere and new trends in approaches to the drug problem through programs of social prevention of crime, among other issues.

Present at the event were the Minister of Public Security of Costa Rica, Mario Zamora Cordero, who will chair the meeting of CICAD; the Chair of the Permanent Council and Representative of Panama, Arturo Ulises Vallarino; the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, Albert Ramdin; the Chief of Staff of the Secretary General, Hugo de Zela; the OAS Secretary for Multidimensional Security, Adam Blackwell; representatives of OAS Member States; representatives to CICAD, and representatives of several international organizations.

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The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today issued a stark review of the reality experienced by the countries of the hemisphere in relation to drugs, analyzing the policies implemented in the region to this point and possible scenarios that could develop if the phenomenon is not dealt with in a coordinated manner, during a ceremony in Bogota in which he delivered to the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, the Report on the Drug Problem in the Americas: Analytical Report - Scenarios Report.

“By delivering this Report today,” said Secretary General Insulza, “we are encouraged by the sincere aspiration, which I now have the privilege of presenting to the entire hemisphere, that this is not a conclusion but only the beginning of a long awaited discussion." The first opportunity to begin the discussion based on the document, which Secretary General Insulza immediately sent to the other 33 OAS Member States, will be the upcoming General Assembly of the hemispheric organization, which will be held in Antigua, Guatemala, from June 4 to 6.

President Santos received the Report in the Casa de Nariño, the seat of the Colombian government, as host of the Sixth Summit of the Americas in 2012, in which the Heads of State and Government of the Americas commissioned the OAS to prepare the document. "The Report that the OAS has delivered to us is an important piece in the collective construction of a path that allows us to confront with this problem," said President Santos during the event.

"This document should be known, publicized and analyzed not only in the hemisphere, but worldwide. We are very pleased, because the quality of the Report is truly exceptional. This was what we wanted, empirical evidence without prejudice, and now the real work begins, which is the discussion at the political level," continued President Santos. "Let it be clear that no one here is defending any position, neither legalization, nor regulation, nor war at any cost. What we have to do is use serious and well-considered studies like the one the OAS has presented us with today to seek better solutions. I have no doubt that we all share a common destiny, where we sometimes differ is in how we reach it, and this Report will help us to come to agreement, it will be the basis for a long postponed discussion," he said.

Also present at the ceremony were former Colombian Presidents César Gaviria (also former Secretary General of the OAS) and Ernesto Samper; the Chair of the Permanent Council and Representative of Panama, Arturo Ulises Vallarino, whose country will host the next Summit of the Americas in 2015; the Secretary for Multidimensional Security of the OAS, Adam Blackwell; and the Ambassador of Colombia to the OAS, Andrés González. The Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), Paul Simons participated in explaining the contents of the Report, as did Adam Kahane and Joaquin Moreno, two of the experts who contributed to the Scenarios Report.

In his speech, the Secretary General Insulza said, in the Report "we have tried not to silence or hide anything," in order to “show the problem just as it is and how it manifests itself in different ways in our various countries and sub-regions; to show the volume of money that changes hands and who benefits from it; to show how it erodes our social organization and how it undermines the health of our people, the quality of our governments and even our democracy.”

Insulza shared some of the data from in the Report, which was prepared by a team of experts who worked under his direction for a year, which indicate that in the Americas "approximately 45 percent of all the cocaine users in the world are found, approximately half of the heroin users and a quarter of the total marijuana users. The consumption of cocaine paste, crack, inhalants, amphetamines and the abuse of legal drugs has increased." He added that this consumption “generates some 151 billion dollars in drug retail alone” in the hemisphere.

He explained that although the impact of the drug phenomenon affects countries in different ways, "we are united by our concern" because "the relationship between drugs and violence is one of the main causes of fear amongst our citizens and has contributed to making security one of the most worrying issues for the citizens of the entire hemisphere." Following this line of thought, Insulza said that "this situation must be faced with greater realism and effectiveness if we want to move forward successfully," and added that "all of us who hold public responsibilities owe it to the millions of women and men, young and old, mothers and fathers, girls and boys who today feel threatened to find clear answers and effective public policies to confront this scourge.”

In terms of the structure of document, which through President Santos, has been delivered to all the leaders of the region, Secretary General Insulza said that the Report, of approximately 400 pages, consists of two parts: the Analytical Report, explaining the reasons that have caused concern in society about drug consumption and which have led to attempts to control the effects of drugs on human health; and the Scenarios Report, an examination of the paths that the phenomenon could take in the hemisphere in the coming years.

In the first part, he said, "we follow the entire process of drugs in the region, the only part of the world in which all of its stages are present in a dominant way: cultivation, production, distribution and the final sale of controlled substances. In each stage we review the various forms this activity assumes, as well as its environmental impact and the reaction of the State, its implications and its limitations." He said this part of the Report examined "the consumption of the different drugs in our countries, their effects on social exclusion and the exercise of human rights, the possible forms of treatment and prevention practiced today and, again, the reaction of our States.”

In the second part, he said "three of the four scenarios –“Together,” “Pathways” and “Resilience”- describe different future alternatives, depending on whether the focus is largely on institution building, experimentation with legal changes, or the community's capacity to respond to the problem. The fourth, "Disruption," alerts us to what could happen if we are incapable in the short run of reaching a shared vision that allows us to join forces to address the problem, while respecting diversity in our approaches to it.”

In concluding his speech, the OAS Secretary General presented four conclusions: the problem must be dealt with taking into account each country’s different situation; countries with fewer resources and less institutional strength have more difficulty dealing with the impact of drug trafficking; the phenomenon requires a public health approach; and the approach to the problem must be multifaceted, flexible, taking into account differences, and the countries of the regions must be united in their diversity.

• Speech, OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, PRESENTATION OF THE REPORT "THE DRUG PROBLEM IN THE AMERICAS"

• Introduction and Analytical Report

• Scenarios Report

• Highlights

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The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today received the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, José Manuel García-Margallo, at the headquarters of the organization in Washington, DC.

The Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza, in his words of welcome to the Spanish Foreign Minister, stressed that the country "always actively promotes a foreign policy based on the strengthening of multilateralism." He recalled that Spain was the first country to achieve the status of Permanent Observer to the OAS, in 1972, and considered the visit of Minister García-Margallo as "an unmistakable sign of Spain’s interest in strengthening its links with the region, understanding the problems that affect the community of the Americas, and assisting in the ongoing quest to realize the ideals of our Charter."

Secretary General Insulza emphasized the concrete examples of cooperation between Spain and the region, including the Ibero-American Summits and the creation of the Spanish Fund for the OAS. Regarding the country’s collaboration with the OAS, he highlighted the contributions of the European country to more than a hundred programs, including the Mission to Support the Peace Process (MAPP) in Colombia, the strengthening of the OAS office in the adjacency zone between Belize and Guatemala, the Inter-American System of Human Rights, the judicial facilitators program, and humanitarian demining programs, among others.

At the end of his address, the leader of the hemispheric organization asserted that "the General Secretariat particularly appreciates the willingness of the government of Spain to continue its cooperation with the organization. We interpret it as a clear sign of confidence in the work that we have developed together."

For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain said that "we are at a real historical crossroads," from an economic and geostrategic standpoint, and commented that, in his view, "there are three key dates in the economic history of the world:” 1929, with the Wall Street collapse; 1973, with the oil crisis, increased competition from emerging countries and major demographic changes; and 2007, with the crisis that began with the Lehmann Brothers collapse.

To address this crisis and the global changes it brings, said Minister García-Margallo, the relationship between Europe and the Americas "cannot look like it did 20 years ago," rather it must be symmetrical. Along that line, he said "we are fortunate that we share values, we share principles, and we share the same view of the world.” Expanding upon this idea, he said: "This organization has been characterized by its defense of democracy as a system of representation –citizens elect their governments-, by the defense of human rights and by the defense of gender issues and the environment."

The Spanish Minister said Europe and the Americas should join forces to define precisely what role they will play in the new world order. "We have obvious initial advantages," said García-Margallo, and insisted that "we would be wrong to not take advantage of these values and present ourselves as a bloc that wants to have its own voice in a world increasingly dominated by powers beyond our regions that are beginning to have an extremely important role." "Count on my government and my country to explore together with you that path, those roads, to intensify our dialogue and affirm our role in the world," concluded the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain.

The Chair of the Permanent Council and Permanent Representative of Panama to the OAS, Arturo Vallarino Bartuano expressed gratitude for Spain's commitment to the region, saying that "your political will and financial resources have strengthened the institutional capacity of the OAS as a hemispheric forum par excellence, have enriched the lives of the citizens of the Americas, and have contributed significantly to the strengthening of this organization."

During the meeting of the Permanent Council the representatives of Mexico, El Salvador, Peru, Chile, Haiti (on behalf of CARICOM), Colombia, Canada, Honduras (on behalf of SICA), Guatemala and Belize all took part, as did the Permanent Observer of Spain to the OAS.

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The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, received today the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil, prior to his presentation to the Permanent Council of the hemispheric institution.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister García-Margallo and Secretary General Insulza exchanged ideas on political and economic issues relevant to both the OAS and to Spain. They discussed the possibilities for expanding on the cooperation that the country provides to the organization, and assessed the progress of the projects currently supported by the country.

Spain was the first country to become a Permanent Observer to the OAS in 1972, and has since supported the work of the organization in nearly all the areas it covers. Also present at the meeting with Secretary General Insulza were Ambassador Jorge Hevia, the Permanent Observer of Spain to the OAS; the Chief of Staff of Secretary General Insulza, Ambassador Hugo de Zela; and the Secretary for Political Affairs of the OAS, Kevin Casas -Zamora.

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The Organization of American States, through the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security, and the General Coordinator of the program for Comprehensive Action against Antipersonnel Mines (AICMA) and Assistance for Control of Arms and Munitions, Carl Case, and the program’s coordinator in Colombia, Guillermo Leal, participated this week in Geneva in the "2013 Meeting of the Group Of Experts Of The High Contracting Parties To Amended Protocol II on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons."

During the Group of Experts meeting, held in the United Nations Office at Geneva, international organizations were invited to share their views on existing practices and technologies to protect civilians against the indiscriminate effects of explosive weapons. To address this subject, Case presented a briefing on Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from the Perspective of the Threat and Responses in the Americas.

The presentation of the senior OAS official provided details related to IED components and explosive substances, mechanisms, as well as clearance methods that have been proven effective in the field. In this regard, since systematic clearance of improvised explosive devices began in Colombian communities with OAS assistance in 2007, there have been no accidents to any of the de-miners involved and civilian casualties have been greatly reduced in several areas of the country.

The OAS continues to make available the expertise found in its mine action program, which is best known for its humanitarian nature. The OAS seeks to reestablish safe and secure living conditions for mine-affected populations, reducing the risk and dangers of antipersonnel mines, and returning previously mined land to productive use.

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, was received today by the President of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, at Moncloa Palace in Madrid.

During the meeting, the two discussed the current political context in the Americas and the main tasks being carried out by the hemispheric organization for the strengthening of the Inter-American Human Rights System and the preparation of a report by the General Secretariat on the anti-drug policies developed in the region in recent years. Also present at the meeting were the Permanent Observer of Spain to the OAS, Ambassador Jorge Hevia, and the Secretary of External Relations of the OAS, Ambassador Alfonso Quiñonez.

Secretary General Insulza is on an official visit to Spain, where he also met with the Foreign Minister of Spain, José Manuel García-Margallo.

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The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today met with the Foreign Minister of Spain, José Manuel García-Margallo, during an official visit to Madrid.

The OAS leader and the Spanish Foreign Minister discussed the current political context in the Americas and, in particular, issues related to the cooperation the European nation offers to the projects and programs of the hemispheric institution. The meeting took place in the headquarters of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Secretary General Insulza will be received later today by the President of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, in his office in Moncloa Palace.

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The Secretary General of the Organization of American States, José Miguel Insulza, departed today on an official trip to Madrid, where he will be received by the President of Spain, Mariano Rajoy.

The OAS leader will also meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, José Manuel García, and with the Secretary of State for Ibero-America and International Cooperation, Jesús Manuel Gracia, with whom he will discuss issues related to Spain’s collaboration with several OAS projects. 

Secretary General Insulza will be accompanied on his visit to Spain by the Secretary of External Relations of the OAS, Alfonso Quiñonez.

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today headed the delegation of the hemispheric institution that participated in a day of dialogue with a group of European Union diplomats assigned to Latin America, led by Christian Leffler, Director for the Americas of the European External Action Service of the European Union, which analyzed the common work of the two institutions and the challenges and advances in democracy in the region.

Upon completion of the meeting, held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, Secretary General Insulza said that "we had a very fruitful meeting with the EU delegation and we are reviewing some of the most important themes of the work we do together." The head of the hemispheric institution highlighted among the topics of the conversation "democracy, development, poverty and inequality, and the human rights issue, which is the subject of our Extraordinary General Assembly that will be held tomorrow."

In his presentation at the meeting, the head of the hemispheric organization outlined how the OAS has evolved in its priorities since its foundation, noting that "the problems of today are mainly focused on the strengthening of democracy, faced with threats that emerge from the problems of poverty and inequality and organized crime." Politically, he said, the region faces challenges in terms of "the separation of powers, still very weak judiciaries, problems of corruption, and a set of institutional problems" that have historical roots.

"I believe that democracy is a process," said Secretary General Insulza, "not a photograph, a process that moves forward and sometimes backwards." Referring to the region, he said "we have limitations, but have also made great progress," and listed as examples the fact that all governments of the Member States of the OAS have been democratically elected and that the stability of governments in the region has increased significantly in recent years.

For his part, Ambassador Leffler thanked the Secretary General "for taking the time in a particularly busy and important week to meet with our political officers from delegations from across the Americas," and stressed the "good cooperation between the OAS and the European Union for many years." The European supranational institution has held Permanent Observer status to the OAS since 1989, and cooperation between the two agencies was formalized in 2009 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that lays the foundation for collaboration.

The European diplomat said that "our efforts in the continent follow two broad parallel tracks" in their objectives: translating economic progress into social progress, and consolidating governance and democracy. Based on these two related tracks, said Ambassador Leffler, the EU decides on its actions in the Americas.

Following the words of the Secretary General and Ambassador Leffler, the political officers of the European Union spoke with the leader of the OAS on various current issues in the region. The exchange included topics such as the strengthening of the Inter-American System of Human Rights which ends tomorrow in an Extraordinary General Assembly of the OAS in Washington, DC; Electoral Observation Missions, the peace process in Colombia, and trade and investment in the region.

Accompanying the Secretary General Insulza at the meeting were the Secretary for External Relations of the OAS, Alfonso Quiñonez, and the Director of the Department of International Affairs, Jorge Sanin.

• Photo Gallery - Colloquium with the Secretary General and the Political Counselors of the EU Delegations in the Americas

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States, José Miguel Insulza, today opened a day of dialogue on policies and cooperation with Christian Leffler, Director for the Americas of the European External Action Service of the European Union, and other European representatives, at the headquarters of the hemispheric organization in Washington, DC.

Secretary General Insulza said the relationship between the OAS and the European Union represents a “true partnership,” and that the two institutions share principles about the importance of democracy and its institutions, human rights, integral development, and citizen security. Ambassador Leffler emphasized that the agenda of the dialogue reflects “the richness and the dimensions” of the joint work of the EU and the OAS.

Present at the meeting were the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, Albert Ramdin; the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Emilio Álvarez Icaza; the Secretaries of External Relations, Multidimensional Security, and Political Affairs of the OAS, Alfonso Quiñonez, Adam Blackwell, and Kevin Casas-Zamora, respectively; the Chief of Staff of the OAS Secretary General, Hugo de Zela; and the Deputy Head of Division for Regional Affairs of the European External Action Service, Francisco Acosta, among others. Before the policy dialogue, Secretary General Insulza received Ambassador Leffler in his office in a private meeting.

• Photo Gallery - Secretary General Receives European Union Director for the Americas

• Photo Gallery - Secretary General Opens OAS - EU Policy Dialogue

• Video - Secretary General Opens OAS - EU Policy Dialogue