What is the OAS?
The Organization of American States (OAS) is a continental organization that was founded on 30 April 1948 to promote regional solidarity and cooperation among its member States. Headquartered in the United States capital Washington, D.C., the OAS's members are the 35 independent states of the Americas.
PGA’s Work
- On 24 February 2020, the OAS and PGA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and co-organized an institutional dialogue on the Role of Parliamentarians as Defenders of Democracy in the Digital Era. Being the first activity of PGA under its new core Campaign for Democratic Renewal and Human Rights, the meeting ushered in enhanced cooperation between the two institutions on topics of common interest, including the Legislative Power in the 21st century; technological innovation in parliamentary management and communication; and cybersecurity challenges to the Legislative Power.
- In the framework of the MoU, both organisations co-organized on 15 May 2020, a webinar on the “ Political parliamentary action in times of COVID-19” which Latin American legislators to address how the current crisis is impacting political action and what are the tools to prepare for an adequate post-COVID-19 political response.
- The cooperation of PGA with the OAS is a long-standing one, which has been punctuated by significant moments. Among these moments, the presentation on 10 February 2016 of the former PGA President, Dip. Minou Tavarez Mirabal, to the Committee on Judicial and Political Affairs of the OAS at its regular high-level session on the ICC. Indeed, the commitment of PGA members from Latin America to the universality and implementation of the Rome Statute has been showcased on several occasions. PGA members from the region have intervened at the Working Session on the ICC convened by the Permanent Council of the OAS.
- On 15 March 2018, PGA, participated in the 10th Special Session of the OAS on the ICC, organized by the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs. During this high-level meeting, the dialogue between participants dealt with the measures that countries and other relevant stakeholders can take to strengthen the Rome Statute system, through the promotion of universality, implementation and cooperation with the ICC, of particular significance to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute.
- On behalf of PGA, Dip. Jorge Cálix delivered a strong speech emphasizing the need for the universality of the Rome Statute, in the Americas. To this effect, Dip. Cálix emphasized that the OAS can play a significant role to foster political will in the region, inter alia to promote accountability for international crimes through the ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute, as well as promoting cooperation mechanisms with the ICC and its member States. The OAS can also provide a forum for countries that have publicly expressed their intention of becoming a States Party to the Rome Statute, for example, Haiti and Jamaica. Dip. Calix explicitly called on these two countries to ratify the Rome Statute.
- The Permanent Representative of the OAS in Uruguay has regularly been invited and participated in the annual PGA Latin American sub-regional seminars on the ICC and the Rule of Law in Montevideo, Uruguay.
