April 30, 2012 - OAS SECRETARY GENERAL MEETS WITH PERMANENT OBSERVER OF GERMANY TO THE OAS AND AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES, PETER AMMON

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today met with the Ambassador of Germany to the United States, Peter Ammon, with whom he discussed current regional economic and social issues.

At the meeting, held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, the Secretary General spoke about the work of the OAS, its structure, mission and history, and noted that it was the first international organization to implement a system of observer countries from outside the hemisphere.

Ambassador Ammon, for his part, spoke of Germany’s interest in Latin America and the Caribbean and its engagement with the region, particularly on economic and trade issues.

Germany has been a Permanent Observer to the OAS since 1972 and has provided support to the Organization in areas including the promotion of democracy, human rights, and fostering integral development and security.

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April 20, 2012 - OAS SECRETARY GENERAL RECEIVES FINANCE MINISTER OF FINLAND

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today received the Finance Minister of Finland, Jutta Urpilainen, who is in Washington DC for a work visit.

During the meeting, the two discussed the conclusions of the Sixth Summit of the Americas, which took place last weekend in Colombia, as well as the economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years.

Finland has been a Permanent Observer of the OAS since 2001. It has contributed economically to the organization in the areas of Cooperation and Electoral Observation; the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development, and the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights.

Also present at the meeting in the office of the Secretary General were the Permanent Observer of Finland to the OAS, Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde, the Permanent Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Finance of Finland, Martti Hetemaki, and the Director of the Department of International Relations of the OAS, Jorge Sanin.

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April 20, 2012 - SECRETARY FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS MEETS WITH AMBASSADOR DANIEL CARMON, HEAD OF ISRAEL'S DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, MASHAV

On Friday, April 20, Ambassador Alfonso Quiñonez, Secretary for External Relations, met with Ambassador Daniel Carmon, Head of MASHAV, Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation. During the meeting, the two discussed the efforts and cooperation of Israel in the OAS as one of the largest in-kind contributors to important programs of human development, including the Young Americas Business Trust's (YABT) Business Labs for young entrepreneurs.

Israel reaffirmed its commitment to the Organization and expressed its will to building upon its relationship in the Americas, both bilaterally and multilaterally. Israel will work through the OAS and YABT to compliment its bilateral efforts, particularly in the Caribbean.

Ambassador Quiñonez also underscored the importance of in-kind contributions to the Organization, particularly Israel's support to the scholarships program of the Department for Human Development, Education and Culture. By opening its programs to students of the Americas, Israel and the OAS are having tremendous success in promoting education as a tool for development in the region.

The two also dialogued on the results of the VI Summit of the Americas as well as the upcoming XLII OAS General Assembly in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

April 11, 2012 - ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL RECEIVES DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAS FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM, ANGUS LAPSLEY

On April 11, Angus Lapsley, Director for the Americas of the United Kingdom's Foreign Commonwealth Office, met with Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS.

Mr. Lapsley was accompanied by Mr. Martin Longden, Head of Southern Oceans Section, Overseas Territories Department and Mr. James Eke, Alternate Observer to the OAS. During the meeting, Mr. Lapsley and Ambassador Ramdin discussed preparations for the VI Summit of the Americas and to dialogue on the situation in the region.

Mr. Lapsley affirmed his government's commitment to the region, both politically and economically. Mr. Lapsley also hailed the OAS as the premier forum for Dialogue on issues of the inter-American agenda and expressed the United Kingdom's support for the role of the Organization in the region.

March 30, 2012 - NEW PERMANENT OBSERVER OF SPAIN TO THE OAS PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL

Ambassador Jorge Hevia Sierra, Spain's new Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States (OAS), today presented his credentials to the Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, emphasizing the "special commitment" of the Spanish government to the hemispheric organization.

In his address to delegates of member countries and OAS officials, Ambassador Hevia Sierra said that "in the second half of the twentieth century, international organizations contributed to a major change in the international order. With their activity, they have become protagonists and have played a key role in the transformation of the global political landscape."

During the ceremony, held at the OAS headquarters in Washington DC, the Spanish diplomat recalled that the OAS is "the regional and multilateral forum par excellence," which, together with the important relationships that Spain maintains with every country in the hemisphere, makes the contact with the OAS “ideal” for the foreign policy of his country. "Our interest in the region stems from our commitment and involvement with Iberoamerica which represents a priority of our foreign policy, and that is based on a relationship of equality, and preceded by our mutual appreciation. We must add that we maintain a privileged relationship with the countries of North America with whom we share interests and principles and a desire to deepen our relationship with the Caribbean countries to integrate them in a very active way and with a relevant role into the general whole of our policies in the Americas."

The new Permanent Observer pointed out that cooperation between his country and the OAS dates back to 1972, when Spain was the first country outside the region to be accredited as a permanent observer to the hemispheric body, and noted that since 1998 this collaboration was strengthened with the signing of the agreement with the Spanish International Cooperation Agency and the creation of the Spanish Fund in the OAS. "Since 2006 Spain has contributed $50 million to the Organization, this is clear proof of our commitment to it," said Ambassador Hevia.

In welcoming the new Spanish representative, Secretary General Insulza recalled that the OAS, with its association with Spain, was the first organization that established a category for observers and since then the European country "has committed itself to support us on issues we decide to work on together, with very fruitful results."

"This work has been essential for us at all levels, having a very broad agenda in which we have established a multi-year programming system that allows us to set goals and long-term priorities," said the head of the hemispheric organization, who also added that Spain "has not only been a key member of our organization, but it has also helped us to establish effective working procedures for assistance through specific funds."

The OAS Secretary General also expressed that "we have come a long way together, and especially in recent decades when cooperation has been intensified, as Spain set a determined and sustained relationship with our region," and concluded by proposing that the next General Assembly of the Organization, to be held from June 3rd to 5th in Cochabamba, Bolivia, " be an opportunity to renew our ties of cooperation."

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March 21, 2012 - OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL HOSTED THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF SERBIA

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today hosted the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Vuk Jeremic, during an ordinary session held at the organization's headquarters in Washington, DC.

The OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, acknowledged the role played by the European nation in OAS activities since it became an observer country in 2002, and he specifically thanked Minister Jeremic for his presence at the last four General Assemblies of the hemispheric organization. The Secretary General also highlighted the predisposition of Serbia towards international collaboration, and praised the Serbian authorities’ ability "to rebuild their nation" after past conflicts, "and especially to lead the country on the path of peace and democracy, something it is widely known for today."

For his part, Foreign Minister Jeremic said that Serbia is proud to be part of the OAS, "a forum that has been setting the agenda for democracy in the Hemisphere, as well as for peace, human rights, security and sustainable development, for more than a century”. The Serbian Minister announced his intention to attend the upcoming OAS General Assembly to be held June 3-6 in Cochabamba (Bolivia), "as an example of our commitment to maximize our relations with the OAS."

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March 9, 2012 - OAS AND CHINA EXPLORE OPTIONS TO INCREASE THEIR COLLABORATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today hosted the General Director of the Department of Latin America and the Caribbean of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of China, Yang Wanming, with who he discussed new options to further collaborate on projects and programs for Latin America and the Caribbean.

During the meeting, that was held in the Continental organization’s headquarters in Washington, DC, The Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, showed his interest in finding areas together to, “Develop and strengthen the relationship with China, promoting deeper cooperation and voluntary fsupport for OAS programs.”

The head of the OAS mentioned that the Hemispheric Organization and the People’s Republic of China began their bilateral collaboration in 2004, the year the Asian country assumed permanent observer status in the Organization. “We value the contribution made by China since then, your presence and willingness to work with us in obtaining common goals for the continent,” he said.

Yang Wanming expressed the importance that his country grants to Latin America and the Caribbean, and thanked the Secretary General for his interest and the Organization’s “to continue working with our country. The OAS is a good partner for China to have in order to achieve its goals of making bonds with the Hemisphere,” he expressed.

The Chinese representative visited the OAS with the directors for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Foreign Ministry of China, Hu Lan and Sun Yi; as well as the Deputy Director of North America and Oceania, Hu Yumin. The Secretary General was accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Ambassador Hugo de Zela; OAS Secretary of External Relations Ambassador Alfonso Quiñonez; and the Director of International Relations, Jorge Sanín.

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March 3, 2012 - OAS DELEGATION TRAVELS TO RUSSIA TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION IN ELECTORAL OBSERVATION

Mr. Pablo Gutierrez, Director of the OAS Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation, and Mr. David Alvarez, Specialist in that Department, traveled to Moscow, Russia from March 2-6, 2012 to strengthen cooperation between the General Secretariat and the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC).

The OAS delegation received a presentation on the systems and methodologies of the CEC, in the framework of the recent Presidential election in that country. While also having the opportunity to meet with the President of the CEC, Vladimir Churov, Mr. Gutierrez discussed the work of the OAS in electoral cooperation, including the extensive and widely-recognized methodologies for electoral observation.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding, signed on March 3, the OAS and the Russian CEC established a formal cooperation arrangement by agreeing to establish a mechanism for collaboration in the design and implementation of the electoral process; and for exchange, mutual consultation and cooperation in the field of electoral management and administration.

Memorandum of Understanding between the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States and the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation

February 28, 2012 - OAS ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MEETS WITH EU OFFICIALS IN BRUSSELS

Officials of the Organization of American States and the European Union met in Brussels this week for the first policy dialogue between the two hemispheric institutions. Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Ambassador Albert Ramdin led the delegation of OAS officials who met with the European Unions Secretary General of the External Action Service Pierre Vimont and Head of the Americas Division Christian Leffler.

The meetings which were aimed at strengthening relations between the EU and the OAS, identified electoral observation and follow up, institutional strengthening and human rights, as areas for more focused collaboration.

A 2009 MOU between the OAS and the EU stipulates that a second policy dialogue will focus on development as well as the challenges to security in the Americas.

According to OAS Assistant Secretary General Ramdin, “The OAS and the EU have a good working relationship and it is important for both organizations to engage in a meaningful manner on a regular basis."

Following the meetings, the OAS officials expressed satisfaction with the discussions in Brussels, with the Assistant Secretary General saying that the talks "provided a starting point to design a more structured approach and comprehensive portfolio of projects in the areas of democracy, development and security."

Assistant Secretary General Ramdin also met with the Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, Mr.Geert Muylle, on Belgiums assistance in various OAS programs.

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February 16, 2012 - OAS SECRETARY GENERAL MEETS WITH PERMANENT OBSERVER OF MOROCCO

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, received today in a protocolary visit the Moroccan Permanent Observer Mohamed Rachad Bouhlal.

During the meeting, held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, the Moroccan Ambassador, who also represents his country before the United States Government, praised the role played by the Organization in the hemisphere and expressed his willingness to strengthen ties on matters of common interest.

They also talked about current political affairs in America and the African country, as well as the Third Summit of South American and Arab Countries to be held in Lima, Peru, in September.

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February 16, 2012 - OAS SECRETARY GENERAL MEETS WITH PERMANENT OBSERVERS

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, met today with the diplomatic representatives of the Permanent Observer countries of the Organization to inform them about the Sixth Summit of the Americas, to be held April 14 and 15 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, and the 42nd General Assembly of the Organization, to be held June 3 to 5 in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Secretary General Insulza talked about the value of the hemispheric summits by stating that “many of the important things that have been done at this level in the last 10 years were thanks to the Summits of the Americas.” In that sense he mentioned the Inter-American Democratic Charter, bilateral and multilateral free-trade agreements, and the Inter-American Social Protection Network, among others.

The Secretary General explained that at the 2012 Summit, issues will be addressed to foment collaboration between countries, such as infrastructure at the continental level; access to technology; natural disasters; poverty and inequality; and public security. At the General Assembly, he recalled that the principal theme will be food security, and he urged observers who wish to participate to do so.

The OAS currently has 68 Permanent Observer countries that participate in the activities of the Organization and contribute to its programs.

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February 14, 2012 - OAS SECRETARY GENERAL MEETS WITH SERBIA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, met today with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Vuk Jeremic, at Organization headquarters in Washington, DC.

During the meeting, the head of the hemispheric body and the Serbian foreign minister, who is a candidate for the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly, talked about current political affairs in Latin America and the Caribbean, in Europe and also in the European country, which will hold parliamentary elections this year. They also spoke about public security and violence in the Hemisphere; the 2012 OAS General Assembly, to be held in Cochabamba, Bolivia; and about the conflict over the Malvinas Islands, among other things.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia is an OAS Observer State, and contributes financially to some of its programs. Minister Jeremic regularly attends the regular sessions of the OAS General Assembly, which are held every year in June.

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February 14, 2012 - OAS SECRETARY GENERAL MEETS WITH NEW AMBASSADOR OF AZERBAIJAN

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, met today with Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to the OAS, Elin Suleymanov.

The meeting was held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, and focused on cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Organization, specifically with the Inter-American Children’s Institute (IIN), the Peace Fund, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

Ambassador Suleymanov, who also is Ambassador to the White House, expressed interest on the topics to be discussed at the Sixth Summit of the Americas, to be held in April in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, in April, and at the next OAS General Assembly in Cochabamba, Bolivia, in June.

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January 19, 2012 - OAS SECRETARY GENERAL MEETS WITH DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF RUSSIA

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, met today with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Ryabkov, with whom he spoke about new and strengthened avenues of cooperation between the organization and the Eurasian country.

In the meeting, held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, Deputy Minister Ryabkov commended the OAS’s role as mediator in resolving conflicts in the region, especially the efforts made after the coup d’état in Honduras in 2009, as well as in the crisis between Colombia and Ecuador in 2008. In this regard, he affirmed that such work "is proof of the organization’s importance and relevance."

The Russian Deputy Minister also mentioned the areas to which his country assigns greater priority in its relationship with the Western hemisphere, among which he mentioned the electoral processes, the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime. In this regard the Minister advocated for making cooperation more substantive between the organization and his country, specifically in the programs developed by the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) and the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD). He also encouraged the participation of the OAS in the meetings taking place in Europe and Asia in the field of the fight against drugs, and he extended his country’s offer to work with the OAS in the area of ​​training and professionalism of police officers.

The Secretary General thanked the Russian government's interest in deepening its cooperation with the OAS, beyond the permanent observer role it has held since 1992, and expressed the Organization’s desire to participate in the international meetings mentioned. He also offered the opportunity to exchange best practices on issues of electoral observation with Russia in view of the upcoming March presidential elections.

Other matters on the agenda of the meeting included the nature, importance, and competence of the various regional and subregional organizations, and the expectations and efforts of the OAS in support of the reconstruction of Haiti.

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