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PAN AMERICAN DAY COMMEMORATION AT OAS ACCENTUATES
PROGRESS IN REGIONAL COOPERATION

The Organization of American States (OAS) today commemorated Pan American Day with a special Permanent Council program touting the achievements of pan-Americanism and the shared commitment to promoting cooperation as a way of building peace.

Member state ambassadors joined OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza in reaffirming the purposes and principles of the OAS Charter, notably peace and justice, democracy, respect for human rights, peaceful resolution of conflicts, and the promotion of economic, social and cultural development, among others.

Chairing the protocolary meeting of the Permanent Council, Ambassador Roberto Álvarez of the Dominican Republic cited the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C., and noted that the ensuing 117-year old discussion “has witnessed fruitful stages of cooperation, which has spawned such initiatives as the creation of the OAS itself in 1948.” Despite challenges, the OAS “remains the only political forum that fosters hemispheric dialogue and cooperation among all our countries,” Ambassador Alvarez stated, noting how the hemispheric organization has become the main institution for follow-up on mandates the heads of state and government issue under the purview of the Summits of the Americas and the General Assembly.

Secretary General Insulza, meanwhile, hailed “the more than century-old tradition of integration and cooperation that we are celebrating today” and recalled that the OAS and the inter-American system, “to which it is central, is one of the greatest assets of our region.” He also described it as “a formidable tool whose usefulness will be determined strictly by the will and strength with which its member states resolve to tackle problems that are common to all and to which no country—large or small—can feel itself immune.”

The United States Interim Representative, J. Robert Manzanares, underscored the shared values that unite the citizens of all the nations of the hemisphere. He also read a Pan American Day and Pan American Week Proclamation issued by President George W. Bush, which underscores the U.S. commitment to support neighboring countries as they seek to address their citizens’ needs. Ambassador Manzanares also announced the opening of an exhibition at the U.S. National Archives on old, historic documents from around the hemisphere.

For his part, Ambassador of Mexico Alejandro García Moreno Elizondo, speaking on behalf of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI) member states, reiterated the commitment to increase cooperation as a vehicle to build a better future for all peoples of the Americas. “We want a hemisphere committed to effectively tackling critical poverty and social marginalization, in order to achieve better standards of living for all citizens of this hemisphere,” he said, adding that this is an urgent undertaking.

Representing the Central American Group, Ambassador Aristides Royo of Panama highlighted the common heritage of citizens of the Americas, as regards colonialism and other factors. While the Americas must overcome certain outmoded concepts, he said, integration is a predominant feature. According to Royo, persistent poverty in the region demands that citizens join hands to take on this challenge.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) perspective was presented by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Ellsworth John, who described inequity as a persistent and major problem in the Americas. “Inequity has been identified as the single most important factor that must be addressed if we want to wage an effective fight against poverty and eventually achieve this principle of ‘betterment’ of all,” as articulated in the OAS Charter, the Caribbean diplomat stated.

Reference: E-105/07