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54th OAS General Assembly Concludes

The Organization of American States (OAS) today concluded its 54th General Assembly, which took place this week in Asunción.

At the start of the Assembly, during which there was an illegal deployment of units of the Plurinational State of Bolivia's Army in La Paz, member states immediately approved a resolution strongly condemning the events and denouncing any attempt to destabilize democratic institutions in that nation.

The Assembly also approved the Declaration of Asunción "Integration and Security for the Sustainable Development of the Region," committing to promote regional economic, technical, political, legal, environmental, social, educational, cultural, scientific, technological, security, and defense cooperation for the stability and security of the States and the Hemisphere as a whole.

The Declaration also commits the OAS to strengthen democratic governance and institutions in the countries of the region as a factor of social cohesion, promoting conditions that bring about equal, fair, and prosperous societies, ensuring respect for democratic processes and the rights of all persons. Regarding the theme proposed by the host country, "Integration and Security for the Sustainable Development of the Region," the Declaration announces the intention to enhance capabilities to combat transnational organized crime in all its dimensions.

Additionally, member states approved resolutions on a variety of topics related to the Organization's four pillars of work: democracy, integral development, multidimensional security, and human rights. The Assembly focused on regional issues and on countries facing critical situations and topics of special interest.

In this regard, member states adopted the resolution "Monitoring the Situation in Nicaragua," urging the government to cease all violations of human rights and take effective measures to restore democratic institutions.

Similarly, the resolution "Continued efforts toward the immediate restoration of security, strengthening of humanitarian assistance, promotion of socioeconomic development, and support for protecting human rights and democracy in Haiti" was adopted, endorsing the newly formed Presidential Transition Council and the new transitional government, and urging member states and the international community to provide immediate humanitarian aid to the country, as well as support to the Multinational Security Support Mission.

Regarding the Malvinas, the Assembly approved a declaration expressing satisfaction with the Argentine Government's reaffirmation of its willingness to continue exploring all possible avenues for a peaceful resolution of the controversy, and emphasizing the need to resume negotiations on sovereignty dispute as soon as possible to find a peaceful solution.

The Assembly also held several elections. In all cases, the elected individuals will assume their functions on March 1, 2025. The results were as follows:

- For the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), member states elected (six-year term):

- Diego Moreno (Paraguay)

- Alberto Borea Odría (Peru)

- Ricardo C. Pérez Manrique (Uruguay, re-election)

- For the Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI), member states elected (four-year term):

- Claudio Troncoso Repetto (Chile)

- Gabriel Orellana Rojas (Guatemala)

- Nienke Grossman (United States)

For the Center for Judicial Studies of the Americas (CEJA), member states re-elected by acclamation Nadia Franco Bazán (Panama) for a three-year term. With one vacant position, the General Assembly proposed to hold the election on September 28, 2024, during an Extraordinary General Assembly at the Organization's headquarters. The deadline for member states to submit candidacies will be August 28.

For the Administrative Tribunal, member states re-elected by acclamation Israel R. Campero Méndez (Bolivia) for a six-year term.

For the Audit Committee, member states re-elected by acclamation Dean Evanson (Antigua and Barbuda) for a three-year term.

Additionally, member states accepted Antigua and Barbuda's invitation to host the 55th OAS General Assembly in 2025, approving the resolution on this matter by acclamation.

Furthermore, the Assembly approved the following resolutions:

- Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

- Promotion of Hemispheric Security: A Multidimensional Approach

- Strengthening Democracy

- Americas States for Substantive Equality and the Full, Equal, and Effective Participation of all Women through their Foreign Policies

- Sixty-Fifth Anniversary of the Creation and Installation of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Fifty-Fifth Anniversary of the Adoption of the American Convention on Human Rights (San José Pact), and Forty-Fifth Anniversary of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights

- Marking Francophonie Week at the OAS

- Promotion of Gender Parity in Elections of Organs, Bodies, and Collegiate Entities of the Organization of American States

- International Law

- Increasing and Strengthening the Participation of Civil Society and Social Actors in the Activities of the Organization of American States and in the Summits of the Americas Process

- Calling of the Fifty-Fifth Special Session of the General Assembly to consider and approve the 2025 Program-Budget and address administrative and other budgetary matters

- Coordination of Volunteerism in the Hemisphere in Response to Disasters and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty - White Helmets Initiative

- The Key Role of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission in Advancing Telecommunications/Information and Communication Technologies

- Pan-American Child Congress

- Role and Parameters for Persons who Exercise the Functions of the Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General of the OAS

- Advancing Hemispheric Initiatives in Integral Development: Promoting Resilience

- Continuing to Promote the Strengthening of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI)

- Let's Promote the Development of Competitive, Safe, Sustainable, and Inclusive Ports

- Promoting Connectivity and Technology for Resilient Socioeconomic Development in the Americas

Reference: E-040/24