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OAS Secretary General Highlights “Common Objectives” among Countries of the Americas

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today highlighted the common objectives among countries of the region and motivated leaders of the hemisphere to work jointly, during his participation in the opening of the XIV Annual Andean Development Corporation (CAF) Conference on the Americas, in which also participated Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico; Enrique García, CAF Executive Chairman; and Michael Shifter, President of the Inter-American Dialogue.

“We have to find a way in which we can continue working together for our common purposes,” the head of the OAS said. “We have a lot of common purposes in democracy, human rights, and other values we all cherish very much. For that we need to discuss very frankly what our common interests are and what is our agenda and what is the situation in each of the regions, and from that try to make a contribution to this very important task.”

Secretary General Insulza also spoke about the Organization’s concerns regarding the most pressing issues faced by countries of the region, namely poverty, violence and criminality. “We are very concerned about the wave of violence in the region,” he said, later adding in reference to socio-economic disparities in the continent that “there are still too many people who are poor in this hemisphere and there are still too many people who are poor in Latin America, which is not a poor continent.”

Secretary General Insulza introduced as speaker New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who he described as “a real friend” and “one of us,” referring to the fact that he is the only United States governor of Latino origin. In his speech, Governor Richardson identified relations between the United States and Cuba as one of the key issues today that involve his country and the Americas, and praised the “very positive role” that Secretary General Insulza has played in the solution of various political crises in countries of the region.

Richardson also spoke about immigration, trade agreements, illegal drug control, inequality, energy and climate change among other issues of pressing need and areas with potential for hemispheric partnership and cooperation.

Finally, he singled out the OAS as a space where such discussions can take place and praised the Organization for the “important roles” it plays in “the peace-keeping and fence-mending that is so necessary.”

A photo gallery of the event is available here.

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

Reference: E-321/10