Media Center

Press Release

New Permanent Representative of Panama to the OAS Presents Credentials

The new Permanent Representative of the Republic of Panama to the Organization of American States (OAS), Arturo Ulysses Vallarino Bartuano, today presented to the Chief of Staff of the Secretary General, Ambassador Hugo de Zela, the credentials that accredit him to the hemispheric institution.

At the presentation ceremony, held in the Hall of Heroes at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, Ambassador Vallarino highlighted the importance of dialogue as the primary foundation for conflict resolution and to promote collaboration between nations. "We come here to reaffirm the commitment, interest and determination of the Republic of Panama to contribute to the strengthening of the OAS, considering it an irreplaceable hemispheric forum for the promotion and defense of democratic values ​​that should prevail in the Americas, to guarantee the political form of government most valid for the development of the hemisphere," he said.

The representative of the government of President Ricardo Martinelli took the opportunity to reiterate the role of the OAS and the importance of further strengthening its work. "We are willing to learn from you all and seek consensus to further the interests of our nations," he affirmed.

For his part, Ambassador Hugo de Zela, on behalf of OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, welcomed Ambassador Vallarino and recalled that Panama will soon assume the Chair of the OAS Permanent Council, and therefore, he considered “very significant” the arrival of the representative of Panama, in whom he recognized his negotiating skills, public experience and political knowledge. "Ambassador Vallarino has the great desire to once again promote the traditional role played by Panama as a country that is always seeking agreements among the countries of the Americas," he said, and recalled that the Amphictyonic Congress held in 1826 in the Central American country "made Panama’s imprint as a country of ran emblematic mark for panama as a country of rapprochement.”

The OAS Chief of Staff also noted that the presence and dedication of the new representative of Panama will take on even more significance when preparations for the Seventh Summit of the Americas begin, an event which the country will host in 2015. Ambassador De Zela predicted Panama would show strong leadership for future meeting of Heads of State and Government.

The ceremony of the presentation of credentials was attended by numerous permanent and alternate representatives of the member and observer countries to the OAS.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

The B-roll of the event is available here.

The audio of the event is available here.

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

Reference: E-103/13