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OAS AND UN STRENGTHEN TIES TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT
AND BETTER GOVERNANCE IN THE AMERICAS
December 14, 2006
The
Organization of American States (OAS) signed an agreement with the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that seeks to strengthen
international cooperation in eradicating poverty and promoting
political, economic and social development in the hemisphere.
OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza underscored the benefits
that can be achieved by strengthening relations with other
international institutions in order to work toward common goals.
Insulza noted the importance of the framework agreement with the
UNDP and said it “should enable us to undertake intense efforts at a
singular moment in Latin America,” referring to the significant
poverty levels that still exist in the region.
The agreement will lay the groundwork for both organizations to
advance programs, projects and cooperation activities for
development. This marks the first time that the two international
entities commit to work together to face the problems of the region,
implementing projects in support of institutional strengthening in
the member states.
During a brief ceremony in the OAS Secretary General’s office, the
UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Rebeca
Grynspan, said this commitment will pave the way for the
organizations to develop several concrete activities, with the
shared priority of serving the region.
The UNDP representative noted that “what is important is to provide
a unified voice in the understanding of this Latin America,” adding
that the region “will probably benefit more from our agreement than
from separate actions carried out by the institutions that serve it.”
UNIVERSAL CIVIL REGISTRATION INITIATIVE TOUTED AT OAS
December 14, 2006
In any society, individuals who
do not have an identity are much more vulnerable to abuse. That view
was expressed by the Secretary General of the Organization of
American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, as he accentuated the
importance of moving forward on an initiative to promote universal
civil registration in the countries of Latin America and the
Caribbean.
Insulza told member state ambassadors during a Permanent Council
meeting that this issue has implications for democracy, as a legal
identity is vital if citizens are to exercise their rights and
assume their responsibilities in a democratic society.
The Secretary General told the Permanent Council meeting—chaired by
Trinidad and Tobago’s Ambassador Marina Valere—that identity is an
important part of the rights that protect citizens from abuses such
as human trafficking and other crimes to which they fall victim.
“That is why we have been working so assiduously on this matter,”
said Insulza, who referred to a cooperative approach under the terms
of a memorandum of understanding signed last August by the OAS, the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The parties to the agreement undertake to
cooperate on a citizen registration program, recognizing that a
significant number of individuals in the region are not included in
official civil registries.
Insulza argued that in a democratic society, people must have an
identity, a name and a legal status. Stressing the importance of the
memorandum of understanding, the Secretary General noted that nearly
15% of children under five years of age in the countries of Latin
America and the Caribbean are not registered. The OAS “can now
embark on projects in a number of countries,” Insulza said. “We have
had discussions with some Caribbean Community (CARICOM) governments
about tackling these citizen registration projects in greater
depth.”
Others who addressed the Permanent Council Wednesday included the
UNICEF Executive Director, Ann Veneman, and the Chief of the Office
of the Presidency of the IDB, Jamal Khokhar. Both reiterated the
arguments presented by Insulza, emphasizing the need for universal
civil registration in order to protect the rights of unregistered
citizens and bring them into the official systems in their
respective countries.
Member state delegations, meanwhile, expressed support for the
initiative, which was put before the Permanent Council by the
delegations of Peru and Mexico.
José Miguel Insulza,
Secretary General of the Organization of American States Remarks at
the 30th Miami Conference on the Caribbean Basin
December 4,
2006 - Washington, DC
Ladies and gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to open this Caribbean/Central American
Action’s 30th Miami Conference on the Caribbean Basin. This means
that for three decades you have been committed to advocacy on behalf
of the countries of the Caribbean and Central America. This
Conference gives us, therefore, an occasion to reflect on what we
have done over the past decades and what we are doing now, and the
continuing challenges that we have before us.
More
The Director of External Relations holds luncheon at the Museum of the Americas for External Relations and Washington office directors of multilateral institutions
October 30, 2006
The OAS Director of External Relations, Irene Klinger, held a
luncheon at the OAS Museum of the Americas for External Relations and
Washington office directors of multilateral institutions. The purpose of
the event was to explore ways to cooperate to increase our impact on
achieving our common goals in the Western Hemisphere. The group agreed
to promote participation in each institutions' events, discuss
organizing a conference on hemispheric issues and meet regularly to
follow-up on joint initiatives.
Photo Gallery
José Miguel Insulza, meets with Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
October 19, 2006
The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José
Miguel Insulza, meets with Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Place: OAS Headquarters; Washington, D.C.
Photo
Gallery
OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza meets with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Rodrigo de Rato.
October 10, 2006
Place: Miranda Room, OAS Building - Washington, DC
In a meeting this morning at the headquarters of the Organization of American States, OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Rodrigo de Rato, talked about political and economic issues relevant to the countries of the hemisphere. Insulza and de Rato, accompanied by members of their staffs, examined the electoral processes taking place in 13 nations of the region during a one-year period, and discussed the positive economic situation in the Americas.
Insulza Stresses Regional Cooperation to Face Health Priorities
September 25, 2006
The
Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS),
José Miguel Insulza, today addressed the Directing Council of
the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO),
stressing the need for close cooperation among regional
organizations to establish a stronger link between health priorities
in the Americas and the region’s political agenda.
“Political action, particularly the negotiation and the search for
consensus, is a vital element to forge the type of governance needed
to strengthen democracy in the hemisphere,” Insulza said at the
opening session of the annual gathering of health ministers from
PAHO member countries. In that regard, the OAS Secretary General
said that governance requires capable institutions that can,
together with the private sector and civil society, formulate and
implement public policies needed to reach all sectors of the
population, including the most disadvantaged.
Insulza emphasized that one priority on the OAS agenda is support
for persons with disabilities, including prevention and
rehabilitation. This issue was considered by the Heads of State and
Government during the
Fourth Summit of the Americas, held last November. In response
to a Summit mandate, the OAS
General Assembly entrusted the OAS
Permanent Council with drafting a plan of action for the Decade
of the Americas for Persons with Disabilities. This effort will seek
the support of PAHO and other regional organizations, Insulza
indicated.
The Secretary General also recalled the recent strategic cooperation
agreement signed at the OAS between the Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
and PAHO, aimed at improving health and prosperity in rural
communities of the member states. These two institutions, Insulza
noted, “have spearheaded our cooperation on the topic of avian
influenza and other recent experiences related to natural
catastrophes and the fight against drugs, which point us in the same
direction of generating a culture of cooperation,” Insulza said.
Others participating in the opening session included PAHO Director
Mirta Roses; the Acting Director-General of the World Health
Organization
(WHO), Anders Nordstrom; the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human
Services, Mike Leavitt; and the Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration, Andrew von Eschenbach.
During today’s meeting of the PAHO Directing Council, Insulza also
moderated a panel discussion that focused on strategic alliances to
improve coordination among the health, labor, education, and
environmental sectors in countries of the region.
Photo
Gallery
OAS Secretary General at the United Nations - UN, New York
September 20-22, 2006
OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza was invited to participate in a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, to debate policies of cooperation and joint collaboration among the UN and regional organizations.
Identity to millions of unregistered children
August 8, 2006
The Inter-American Development Bank, The Organization Of American States and Unicef launch initiative to grant official identity to millions of unregistered children. More: MS Word Adobe Acrobat
OAS Reaffirms Cooperation between the General Secretariats of the United Nations, CARICOM, and the Central American Integration System
The General Secretariat of the OAS and the Secretariats of the United Nations, CARICOM, and the Central American Integration System reaffirmed their cooperation at the XXXVI General Assembly in Dominican Republic. The OAS and UN furthermore strengthened that commitment by designing programs of mutual cooperation between the OAS and UN, and reporting on such cooperative programs.
More on the XXXVI General
Assembly
Report on Cooperation with Institutions
Report on OAS and UN Collaboration Programs
UN Secretary General Meets With Jose Miguel Insulza
The Secretary General of the
Organization of American States (OAS), Jose Miguel Insulza, held a
private meeting today with United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi
Annan at OAS headquarters.
Insulza briefed the UN Secretary General on the current political
situation in the Americas, outlining the Organization’s role in recent
democratically held elections in the region.
Annan expressed his appreciation for the OAS role during the electoral
process in Haiti. The OAS, in collaboration with the United Nations,
supported Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council in carrying out a
massive voter registration drive.
Annan and Insulza agreed to continue working together in that country to
strengthen democracy and to build stronger institutions.
Regional Institutions Put Development Center Stage at OAS FORUM.
April 12, 2006
More: MS Word Adobe Acrobat