A special meeting was today held by the Permanent Council of the Organisation of American States (OAS) in Washington DC., where Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett highlighted the important roles Guyana plays in several regional organisations.
The Foreign Affairs Minister said that in the 20 years since Guyana achieved democratic rule, the country has undergone significant transformation in terms of economic growth, social development and regional integration.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Chief of Staff of the Secretary General of the OAS, Hugo de Zela (photo by Juan Manuel Herrera-OAS)
She noted that these developments would not have transpired had Guyana not received support and solidarity from Member States from the hemisphere and benefited from the work of the OAS in the promotion of democracy.
According to the OAS website, special mention was made of the OAS in ensuring fair and free elections with the deployment of electoral observation missions.
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett lauded the OAS for its role in upholding democracy, human rights, integral development and security.
Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn-Rodrigues speaking at the OAS Permanent Council meeting in Washington DC. (Photo by Maria Patricia Leiva-OAS)
“The OAS is, and will remain the hemisphere’s indispensable platform for dialogue, the promotion of cooperation, sharing best practices, confidence building and problem solving,” the Minister said.
She noted too, nations, whether small and vulnerable or large and strong, must be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder and count on the solidarity of each other to confront the challenges of today.
The Guyanese Foreign Affairs Minister also lauded the initiative and the ideas of the Secretary General of the OAS, JosÉ Miguel Insulza in presenting to the Member States his Strategic Vision of the OAS and said that the document, “can serve as a useful point of departure in the ensuing deliberations concerning the future of the OAS.”
The OAS Permanent Council meeting in Washington DC. (Photo courtesy Juan Manuel Herrera -OAS)
Meanwhile, Chief- of- Staff of the Secretary General of the OAS, Hugo de Zela, who was at the time representing Secretary General Insulza, highlighted the role of Guyana (only English-speaking South American country) as a bridge between the Caribbean and South America.
The OAS website quoted Ambassador de Zela as saying that, “building citizenship, giving citizens more opportunities and creating a safe environment for the full development of the people are goals we all share, and are core values of this organisation.”
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett’s efforts in achieving meaningful integration that promotes sustainable development and social inclusion for the benefit of citizens, was commended by Ambassador de Zela.
He said that, “the OAS stands ready to support the efforts of our Member States in furthering their commitments to the promotion and consolidation of democracy and development for the citizens of the Americas.”
The OAS Permanent Council is comprised of ambassadors appointed by the member states (one per state), and it meets regularly at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., United States. The chair of the Council rotates among these permanent representatives of the member states, with each country chairing the Council for a six-month period.