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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Organization of American States (OAS)
The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) today agreed to support the governments of countries receiving Venezuelan migrants. The main objective of the agreement is to implement actions in areas related to the protection and local integration of Venezuelan migrants and refugees, the development of social inclusion policies, and the generation of economic opportunities that facilitate their autonomy and allow them to contribute to the communities that receive them. At the signing ceremony, the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, referred to the magnitude of the exodus of Venezuelan citizens and the social and political implications of the situation. "The issue is pressing, the crisis in Venezuela has alarming consequences in the region; already more than two million people have had to leave Venezuela, which is an extremely serious exodus and a drain of resources," said Almagro. He also stressed that the agreement "will lead to integrated solutions that respond to these problems and promote more robust efforts with various actors at the Inter-American level." The Executive Director of PADF, Katie Taylor, recalled the joint work carried out by the organization she leads with the OAS during the last five decades and said "this agreement offers us a specific opportunity to join forces and provide better service to Venezuelans through timely protection services and provision of adequate information; mobilize resources and support so that migrants can rebuild their lives with dignity in the new places that host them, and take advantage of the convening capacity of the OAS for better coordination among governments, civil society and the private sector." PADF is an independent non-profit organization based in Washington DC, created in 1962 through a unique cooperation agreement between the OAS and the private sector. It has a presence in Latin America and the Caribbean, where it implements social development projects to strengthen communities.
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