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"Watching foreign affairs is sometimes like watching a magician; the eye is drawn to the hand performing the dramatic flourishes, leaving the other hand, the one doing the important job, unnoticed." David K. Shipler, For Israel and US, A Growing Military Partnership |
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The nations of the Americas are working more closely together than ever before strengthening democracy, advancing human rights, promoting peace and security, expanding trade and tackling complex problems caused by poverty, drugs and corruption. Together we are building a better future for the next generation.
At the outset of a new century and a new millennium, the challenge is how to turn citizens' high expectations into reality. The Organization of American States (OAS) is playing a central role in working toward many of the goals that are shared by the countries of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Through the Summit of the Americas process, the hemisphere's heads of state and government have given the OAS important responsibilities and mandates, including:
- Strengthening freedom of speech and thought as a basic human right;
- Promoting greater participation by civil society in decision-making at all levels of government.
- Improving cooperation to address the problem of illegal drugs; and
- Supporting the process to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas.
- The OAS also brings together government leaders from member states to focus on education, justice, security and other issues that that touch people's lives in tangible ways.
A Shared Vision
This is a time of unprecedented opportunity in the Americas. In the 1990s the region left behind the divisions of the Cold War and moved toward greater agreement and closer cooperation. The OAS Charter was reformed to reflect the hemisphere's strengthened commitment to representative democracy. In recent years the Organization has adopted landmark conventions against corruption, illegal arms trafficking and violence against women. Here are some of the Organization's priorities:
Strengthening democracy -- The OAS has sent electoral observation missions to monitor more than 45 elections around the hemisphere, helping to ensure transparency and integrity of the voting process. It helps member states strengthen their electoral, municipal and legislative institutions and carry out education programs to promote democratic values and practices.
Building on peace -- Special OAS missions have supported the peace process in Nicaragua, Suriname, Haiti and Guatemala. The OAS is also leading the effort to remove land mines in Central America, with the technical support of the Inter-American Defense Board. The program, which has received funding, equipment and personnel support from 19 OAS member or observer states, has resulted in the destruction of thousands of antipersonnel mines in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Defending human rights -- The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, based in Washington, D.C., and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, located in San José, Costa Rica, together provide recourse to people who have suffered human rights violations. The Commission also reports on the status of human rights in member countries and focuses attention on specific issues such as freedom of expression, the rights of indigenous peoples and women's rights.
Fostering free trade -- The OAS is providing technical support in economic integration efforts, working with the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement by 2005, as mandated under the Summit of the Americas process. The OAS has paid special attention to ensuring that the concerns of smaller economies are taken into account.
Combating drugs -- The Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission works with member countries to strengthen laws, provide training in prevention programs, promote alternative development, improve law enforcement and stem the illegal trafficking of narcotics and related chemicals and arms. Acting on a mandate from the Summit of the Americas, the Commission has been developing a multilateral evaluation tool to measure the progress that individual countries and the region as a whole are making in meeting anti-drug goals.
Promoting sustainable development -- The OAS, supported by substantial outside funding, carries out technical cooperation programs to address the needs of members states in such areas as river basin management, biodiversity conservation, planning for global climate change and natural disaster mitigation. The OAS is also working to improve the exchange of information and citizen participation in decision-making about how to protect the environment and manage natural resources.
An Effective Partnership
Made up of 35 member states, the OAS is the region's premier political forum for multilateral dialogue and action. With four official languages -- English, Spanish, French and Portuguese -- the Organization reflects the rich diversity of peoples and cultures across the Americas.
Each member state has one vote. Major policies and directions are established by the General Assembly, which once a year brings together the hemisphere's foreign ministers. The Permanent Council, which meets regularly at OAS headquarters in Washington, handles ongoing political and administrative issues. Each member country appoints an ambassador to sit on the Permanent Council. The Inter-American Council for Integral Development focuses on promoting economic development and combating poverty.
The OAS General Secretariat carries out the programs and policies set by the General Assembly and the councils. Specialized units focus on such areas as trade, sustainable development, education and promotion of democracy. The Office of Summit Follow-Up was created to coordinate tasks assigned to the Organization by the hemisphere's leaders.
At OAS headquarters, the Art Museum of the Americas and the Columbus Memorial Library promote culture and education. Also under the OAS umbrella are several specialized organizations: the Inter-American Children's Institute; the Inter-American Commission of Women; the Pan American Institute of Geography and History; the Inter-American Indian Institute; the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture; and the Pan American Health Organization.
OAS History at a Glance
April 30, 1948 - 21 countries of the hemisphere met in Bogotá, Colombia, to adopt the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS), which affirmed their commitment to common goals and respect for each nation's sovereignty. Since then, the OAS has expanded to include the nations of the Caribbean, as well as Canada.
The principles that embody the OAS grew out of a history of regional cooperation dating back to the 19th century.
In 1826, the liberator Simón Bolívar convened the Congress of Panama with the idea of creating an association of states in the hemisphere.
In 1890, the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C., established the International Union of American Republics and its secretariat, the Commercial Bureau of the American Republics – the forerunner of the OAS.
In 1910, this organization became the Pan American Union.
In 1948, at the Ninth International American Conference, participants signed the OAS Charter and the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, the first international expression of human rights principles.
The transition from the Pan American Union to the OAS was smooth. The Director General of the former, Alberto Lleras Camargo, became the first Secretary General of the OAS.
Key Dates
1959 - Creation of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which went on to be come a key
player in the struggle against the hemisphere?s repressive regimes, and today continues to provide recourse to citizens who have suffered human rights violations.
1961 - Signing of the Charter of Punta del Este, which launched the Alliance for Progress, an ambitious cooperative program designed to strengthen democracy and achieve economic progress and greater social justice in the hemsiphere. OAS technical cooperation programs were expanded to meet new responsibilities.
1962 - Exclusion of the Cuban government from participation in the inter-American system. Cuba remains a member of the OAS, but its government still may not vote or participate in Organization activities.
1969 - Signing of the American Convention on Human Rights. This took effect in 1978, establishing the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, headquartered in Costa Rica.
1970 - Establishment of the General Assembly as the highest decision-making body of the OAS.
1977 - Signing of the Panama Canal Treaties at the OAS by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.
1986 - Creation of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (known by its Spanish acronym, CICAD) to confront the growing problem of the consumption, production and trafficking of illegal drugs.
1991 - Adoption of Resolution 1080, which set up procedures to react to threats to democracy in the hemisphere. A key factor in helping to manage crises, Resolution 1080 has been invoked four times: in Haiti (1991), Peru (1992), Guatemala (1993) and Paraguay (1996).
1994 - Summit of the Americas in Miami. The hemisphere's heads of state and government reaffirmed the role of the OAS in strengthening democratic values and institutions, and established a range of new roles and priorities for the Organization.
1996 - Establishment of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, designed to promote cooperation among countries in fostering development and combating poverty.
1996 - Adoption of a landmark anti-corruption treaty, the first international agreement of its kind.
1997 - Reform of the OAS Charter through the ratification of the Protocol of Washington. The agreement strengthens representative democracy by giving the OAS the right to suspend a member state whose democratically elected government is overthrown by force.
1997 - Signing of an inter-American treaty to combat illegal arms trafficking and production. Presidents Bill Clinton of the United States and Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico attended the signing ceremony.
1998 - Second Summit of the Americas in Santiago, Chile. The presidents and prime ministers of the hemisphere assigned to the OAS new mandates in areas including human rights, trade, education, anti-drug cooperation and summit follow-up.
1999 - Within CICAD, development of the basic framework for a Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism, which will measure progress in regional and national efforts against drugs.
OAS Secretaries General OAS Assistant Secretaries General
Alberto Lleras Camargo (Colombia) 1948-1954 William Manger (United States) 1948-1958
Carlos Dávila (Chile) 1954-1955 William Sanders (United States) 1958-1968
José A. Mora (Uruguay) 1956-1968 M. Rafael Urquía (El Salvador) 1968-1975
Galo Plaza (Ecuador) 1968-1975 Jorge Luis Zelaya Coronado (Guatemala) 1975-1980
Alejandro Orfila (Argentina) 1975-1984 Val T. McComie (Barbados) 1980-1990
João Clemente Baena Soares (Brazil) 1984-1994 Christopher R. Thomas (Trinidad and Tobago) 1990-2000
César Gaviria (Colombia) 1994- Luigi R. Einaudi (United States) 2000-
OAS Member States
All 35 countries of the Americas have ratified the OAS Charter and belong to the Organization.
21 Original OAS Members (1948)
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States,
Uruguay, Venezuela
14 Subsequent Members
Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago (1967); Jamaica (1969); Grenada (1975); Suriname (1977); Dominica, Saint Lucia (1979); Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1981); The Bahamas (1982); St. Kitts and Nevis (1984); Canada (1990); Belize, Guyana (1991).
Find out more about the OAS by clicking HERE
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