SPEECH BY AMBASSADOR ALBERT R. RAMDIN UPON HIS RE-ELECTION TO THE POST OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES

March 24, 2010 - Washington, DC

Mr. President, the Honorable Foreign Minister of Paraguay, Hector Lacognata
Honorable Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation,
Secretary General, Jose Miguel Insulza,
Permanent Representatives,
Permanent Observers,
Representatives of International and Regional Organizations,
Alternate Representatives and Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mr. President, Distinguished Ministers and Heads of Delegation,

Almost five years ago, OAS member states expressed their confidence in me by electing me as Assistant Secretary General. Today, you have expressed your confidence and trust again by electing me for a second five year term as part of the OAS leadership. I am deeply honored and I wish to express my gratitude to Member States for your confidence and trust, and the high honor you have accorded me, and I pledge to rededicate myself fully to serve the hemisphere, its governments and its people.

I thank the Government and People of the Republic of Suriname, in particular His Excellency Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan, President of the Republic and Foreign Minister Her Excelency Lygia Kraag-Keteldijk for proposing my nomination, and for their support. I thank the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for once again unanimously endorsing my candidacy. I thank the countries of Central America and South America for the support and collaboration received over the past years, as well as Mexico, Dominican Republic, the United States of America and Canada. I thank also my wife, children for their support; also my gratitude to my Chief of Staff and Advisory Team for their assistance and hard work.

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

My vision for the five next years is guided by an abiding faith in the concept of unity in diversity. Going forward, I strongly believe that the Organization must direct its efforts, through vision and leadership, toward a more peaceful and prosperous future for the next generation of citizens. The only way, I believe, we can move forward is if we dedicate ourselves individually and collectively to cooperate in advancing a positive and common agenda that will foster meaningful progress.

In the near term, the OAS must continue to promote greater unity in the Americas; strengthen democratic and electoral institutions; support democratic governance; and promote a culture of peace, social cohesion and dialogue among all sectors of society. It must also advocate for a more holistic development approach that takes into account the vulnerabilities of small economies and strengthens the bonds of partnership among our member states.

All these priorities will require strong collaboration and coordination at the sub-regional and hemispheric levels. This is where the OAS must play a leading role to ensure greater efficiency and delivery on set objectives at the inter-American level. It is time to broaden, strengthen and deepen the organization’s network of partners. In this regard we need to work more closely with sub-regional groups, civil society and the private sector.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Beyond the adopted principles and the many activities and initiatives of the OAS, we need to focus on the “institution” itself, in terms of what it stand for, what it means to the member states, individually and collectively. I believe that we must commit to strengthening the OAS if we are to further enhance the organization’s effectiveness. The OAS of the 21st century must be enhanced through modernization, with greater emphasis on multilateralism, creativity and bold decision-making to tackle our financial difficulties.

The OAS, must continue to be seen as a trusted space for consultation, negotiation and partnership, it remains a unique vehicle for resolving differences, building consensus and working toward shared goals that promote democracy, human rights, security and integral development in the Americas.

Ultimately, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, our actions are about improving the life of the people, facilitating peace and creating conditions for prosperity.

I thank you once again and I look forward to the continuation of effective collaboration in partnership.