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Last Updated: Feb 8, 2012 - 1:38:28 AM |
The
Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States
(OAS), Ambassador Albert Ramdin, held conversations last week with
high-level authorities of the new government of Guatemala and private
sector representatives, in the framework of the launching of the Central
American country’s Economic and Social Council.
During his
visit, the Assistant Secretary General met with President Otto Pérez
Molina, who thanked the support of the OAS for his government’s efforts
to strengthen democratic institutions.
President Pérez Molina
communicated the vision of the new government and the need for the
collaboration of the OAS in the three axes of his government proposal,
which include security, peace, and justice; social development; and
economic development. The Assistant Secretary General reaffirmed the
Organization’s commitment to focus its collaboration in accordance with
these priorities, and he highlighted the programs directed to support
national efforts in confronting insecurity, organized crime and poverty.
As
part of his visit, the Assistant Secretary General and the Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, Harold Caballeros, signed an amendment to a
cooperation agreement for the donation of four firearms marking
machines. This donation was made in response to a request for additional
equipment made by the Government of Guatemala to the OAS.
“Through
this and other initiatives in the area of security, the OAS contributes
to strengthen the capacity of the Member States to respond to the
growing levels of crime and violence generated by firearms trafficking,”
said the Assistant Secretary General.
Members of the private
sector grouped in CACIF, Fundesa and CEAL also held a dialogue with the
Assistant Secretary General, who said that “during this visit we have
found great optimism about the future of the country. This optimism is
necessary and hopeful because, in the face of the important challenges
facing Guatemala, we need for the entire society to walk in the same
direction.”
The high-level OAS official added that he has a
positive vision of the recent approval by Congress of the establishment
of the Economic and Social Council, in which participate entrepreneurs,
the labor sector and cooperatives. Upon adding that social issues are of
paramount importance, the Assistant Secretary General also
congratulated the recent creation of the Ministry of Social Development.
“The OAS, through its Inter-American Social Protection Network, will be
able to support this new Ministry with training, the exchange of
successful experiences in other countries, and the strengthening of
public policies in this area,” he said.
The Assistant Secretary
General thanked the offer by the government of Guatemala to host the OAS
General Assembly in 2013, and announced that the Member States will
make a decision during the next General Assembly, to be held in June in
Cochabamba, Bolivia.
For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.
© Copyright 2012 by thebahamasweekly.com
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