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| Min. Karl Hood Credit: Juan Manuel Herrera/OAS |
WASHINGTON DC, March 16, 2011 - The
Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today held a
special session with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade,
Environment and Export Development of Grenada, Karl I. J. Hood, who stressed
the need to maintain a constructive dialogue in the continent in order to
strengthen the role of the hemispheric organization.
Minister Hood began his remarks by referring to the “noble ideal of hemispheric integration that characterizes the OAS” and recalled that when Grenada assumed its independence in 1974, the OAS was one of the first international organizations in which Grenada sought membership. “Today, the Government of Grenada, remains true to the conviction that led us to join the OAS 37 years ago –the conviction that the interests of our individual countries and the aspirations of our citizens are best served by a hemisphere united in its determination,” he said.
Minister Hood began his remarks by referring to the “noble ideal of hemispheric integration that characterizes the OAS” and recalled that when Grenada assumed its independence in 1974, the OAS was one of the first international organizations in which Grenada sought membership. “Today, the Government of Grenada, remains true to the conviction that led us to join the OAS 37 years ago –the conviction that the interests of our individual countries and the aspirations of our citizens are best served by a hemisphere united in its determination,” he said.
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| Min. Hood meets OAS Sec Gen Credit: Juan Manuel Herrera/OAS |
The
Foreign Minister of Grenada, the country that currently holds the Chairmanship
of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), highlighted the role of both institutions
and affirmed that the OAS and CARICOM “must continue as strategies for regional
integration.” Minister Hood encouraged member countries of both organizations
to “remain resolute in ensuring that these institutions remain faithful to
their founding objectives; continue their endeavors to seek the collective good
of all the citizens of this Hemisphere; and evolve into even more efficient and
effective mechanisms for regional unity and development.”
The
head of the Grenadian diplomacy also offered his government’s support in the
preparation of the XLI OAS General Assembly and the VI Summit of the Americas
of 2012. “As this Organization prepares for two major multilateral processes
that are important for hemisphere-wide policy making, direction and
implementation, Grenada believes that we have an invaluable opportunity and an
unavoidable responsibility to ensure that the delivery of benefits to our
citizens is our primary focus and objective.”
As part of his speech, Minister Hood gave an overview of the main challenges faced in the region; among them he mentioned citizen security; the fight against terrorism; social, economic and financial stability; natural disasters and citizen welfare.
As part of his speech, Minister Hood gave an overview of the main challenges faced in the region; among them he mentioned citizen security; the fight against terrorism; social, economic and financial stability; natural disasters and citizen welfare.
“It
is that message of renewal and relevance which I would like to underscore
today. We must remain true to the ideals on which this Organization is founded,
even in the face of new international realities and regional challenges that
inevitably demand so much more from us. We must forge innovative responses that
are effective in continuing to deliver our Charter objectives. We must reassert
the truth that socio-economic development is essential for our peoples, our
nations and our Hemisphere to achieve those objectives,” the Grenadian Minister
said.
OAS
Secretary General José Miguel Insulza welcomed the Caribbean Minister and
agreed on the priority issues that he referred to. "As we face the next
General Assembly and in the preparations for the Summit of the Americas, we
must reflect on the priority issues pertaining to our organization. Certainly,
one of them is the issue of crime, one that concerns us, not only for the high
and unprecedented levels of crime in many countries of our region, but also for
the imminent danger that organized crime represents," Secretary General
Insulza said, also recalling that citizen security will be the theme of the
General Assembly in El Salvador in June, and is also a regional priority, given
that "the lack of security for our citizens is damaging very deeply our
democracy."
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| Credit: Juan Manuel Herrera/OAS |
Secretary
General thanked the government of Grenada for its cooperation during the time
it served as Vice President of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism
(CICTE) this past year, and recalled that in the coming weeks the country will
assume the Chairmanship of the Permanent Council. “We are convinced that this
country will produce great work during an important time, the time of
preparation for the General Assembly.” He also recalled that Grenada was the
first Caribbean country to host a meeting of the General Assembly in 1977.
Regarding
the Summit of the Americas to take place in Cartagena, Colombia, in April 2012,
the head of the hemispheric Organization explained that the OAS “sees it as a
moment of redefining our hemispheric relations, and as a way to deal with the
challenges that truly are hemispheric”.
In the context of the Minister of Grenada’s visit, the representatives of the Member States that participated in the session of the Permanent Council recognized the leadership role that the country plays in multilateral relations, as well as in CARICOM and in the OAS; its unrestricted support to Haiti; and the support that contributes to strengthen the organization’s work.
In the context of the Minister of Grenada’s visit, the representatives of the Member States that participated in the session of the Permanent Council recognized the leadership role that the country plays in multilateral relations, as well as in CARICOM and in the OAS; its unrestricted support to Haiti; and the support that contributes to strengthen the organization’s work.
During
his visit to OAS headquarters, Minister Hood held private meetings with the
Secretary General and with OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin.
SOURCE: OAS
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