Organization of American States (OAS)

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Organization of American States (OAS)

• By Megan Hussey

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What is the OAS?

• Organization of 35 nations from North, South, and
  Central America and the Caribbean
• Worlds oldest regional organization
• Four main pillars democracy, human rights,
  security, and development

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Documents

• Charter of the OAS was signed by original 21
  members in 1948
• Organization of American States was officially
  created under the signing of the charter

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Age of Organization

• Created in 1948 (turning 64 years old)
• Revisions
• Since Cold War ended, OAS has put more emphasis
  on democracy human rights
• Inter-American Democratic Charter
• was adopted in 2001 to promote democracy

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Purpose

• Keep independence of member states while
  promoting cooperative action in economic, social,
  and cultural development and speeding the process
  of economic integration

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Goals

• Increase peace security of continent
• Prevent conflicts encourage peaceful settlement
  of disputes between member states
• Promote democracy
• Limit poverty
• Find solutions for political economic problems

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Membership

• 35 countries currently belong to the OAS
• Original 21 member states signed the Charter of
  the OAS in 1948
• 14 member states have since joined
• All members have ratified the Charter of the OAS

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Leadership

• General Secretariat
• Secretary General José Miguel Insulza
• Chief of Staff of the Secretary General Hugo de
  Zela
• Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin
• Chief of Staff of the Assistant Secretary
  General Carmen Lucía de la Pava
• Permanent Representatives to the OAS
• Chair of the Permanent Council Duly Brutus
• Vice Chair of the Permanent Council Allan
  Culham

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Advantages of Membership

• Has helped ensure fair and free elections in
  Latin America
• Promotes educational programs throughout the
  Americas
• Has numerous affiliated organizations

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Disadvantages of Membership

• Since the OAS was created, it has been dominated
  by the United States
• During the Cold War Era, the main concern of the
  OAS was to limit communist influence on western
  hemisphere
• The United States violated the Charter of the
  OAS, which states that no state can intervene on
  the affairs of another state

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International Impact

• Mexico
• Has been a member of the OAS since 1948
• In October 2011, Mexicos Supreme Court and the
  Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a part
  of the OAS, signed an agreement where all Mexican
  federal judges on will receive training
  concerning human rights

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Works Cited

• Hastedt, Glenn. "Organization of American States
  (OAS)." Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy.
  New York Facts On File, Inc., 2004. American
  History Online. Facts On File, Inc.
• Schroeder, Michael J. "Organization of American
  States (OAS)." In Ackermann, Marsha E., Michael
  Schroeder, Janice J. Terry, Jiu-Hwa Lo Upshur,
  and Mark F. Whitters, eds. Encyclopedia of World
  History The Contemporary World, 1950 to the
  Present, vol. 6. New York Facts On File, Inc.,
  2008. Modern World History Online. Facts On
  File, Inc.  
• Organization of American States. Web. 21 Mar.
  2012. lthttp//www.oas.orggt.