ALLIANCE-OAS LIAISON COMMITTEE

By: Helena T.M. Richards – Alliance Advisor

We are grateful to the Electronic Committee for having started the “Alliance/OAS” section in our Alliance website. Thus, all members will be informed about the hemispheric events in which we participate. I will proceed to give you a brief idea about this Committee, which I presided between 2001 and 2008. My successors are doing a great job in continuing the relationship between Alliance and OAS.

Several years have gone by since we were registered in 2001, by the OAS, as a civil society organization,(CSO) which is eligible to participate in OAS events. Our registration was obtained, thanks to the efforts of Fabiola Chiriboga, member of the Washington,D.C. Table, Ambassador Peñaherrera, then the representative of Ecuador to the OAS, myself, and members of the Austin Table. These members had to review many of the documents kept in our Archives and then sent them to me, for completion of the registration process. We worked diligently, with the encouragement of Luchy Elias, Director General and Mr. Joaquin Tamayo, OAS Officer.

Our committee by-laws state that one of its main responsibilities is to serve as direct contact between the Alliance or Tables and the OAS. Therefore, any member or Alliance officer should abstain from corresponding or contacting OAS personnel. That is a committee function.

The committee depends greatly on our Delegates, since they are the ones that represent the Alliance at many important hemispheric events, sponsored by the OAS. Delegates are assigned by the Chairperson of the committee, with approval of the Director General. Usually we choose members that live near the site of the event, in order to minimize expenses. However, sometimes, they have to travel to places where Summits, General Assemblies and Hemispheric Fora take place. The committee has a $1,000.00 budget for partial biennial expenses

At each event, the Alliance fulfills an important role. We cooperate with other delegates of CSOs, we get involved in an active dialogue with Ministers of Foreign Affairs , officers of the OAS and other government representatives. We also present proposals that will benefit all citizens of the American nations and we distribute information about the Alliance. Thus, we maintain vital presence in the continental arena and contribute towards improving quality of life of the people of the Americas.

In 1916, our Founder borrowed some of her basic ideas from the principles held by the Pan American Union, today's OAS. Today, she would be proud to know that we cooperate with the OAS and we have earned a well deserved place within the framework of the Americas.

‘ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE”

HELENA

OAS Liaison Committee : This Committee is made up by a member from each Zone and by two members from the Washington, D. C. Table. Its function is to channel exclusively all communication between the Alliance and the OAS and participate in the activities that concern the civil society, either sending contributions in writing or attending hemispheric meetings.

ARTICLE I.- The Alliance-OAS Liaison Committee functions in accordance to Article III, Item N of the By-Laws of the Alliance of Pan American Round Tables.

ARTICLE II.- This Committee shall be composed of a Chairperson, two members of the Washington, D.C. Table and one member from each Alliance Zone.

ARTICLE III.- The functions of this Committee are:

A. To represent the Alliance in all meetings organized or sponsored by the OAS.

B. To handle exclusively all communication exchanged between Tables or Alliance Officers and the OAS.

C. To check the OAS website constantly, to be informed of current hemispheric events

D. To process registration of delegates to all important OAS meetings. (Specific data)

E. To maintain close contact with OAS officers in the Summit Secretariat and also with representatives of Civil Society Organizations.

F. To cooperate with delegates from Civil Society Organizations in the preparation of proposals to be presented at Forums, Summits and other OAS meetings.

G. To send reports and results of the OAS meetings to the Electronic Liaison Committee, for publication. Also, to the Director General, Committee Members and Zone Directors.

H. Delegates’ presentations have to be submitted for revision to the Committee Chair, prior to the delegate’s attendance to a meeting. Delegates should also distribute information about the Alliance during the meetings.

I. All committee members can and should maintain contact with the OAS representative within their country or Zone, to promote mutual cooperation.

J. The Committee Chairperson, with the Director’s General approval, will extend invitations to the Delegates who will represent the Alliance at any OAS Forum, Summit, General Assembly or other hemispheric meetings.

2004 - 2006

SOUTH AMERICAN SUB REGIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM, FEBRUARY 6 & 7, 2009, IN PREPARATION FOR THE 5TH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS – LIMA, PERU

Helena Torres-Muga de Richards
1986-88 Director General and Advisor of the OAS Committee.

Lourdes Calderon de Ojeda
Associate Director

Gloria Doig Quiñones
President of the PART Peruvian National Association

THIRTY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
San Pedro Sula Honduras

Beatriz Sepe y Dinorah Obando
Honduras on May 31st to June 4th of this year

ATTENDANCE REPORT SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COMMISSION
LEGAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES .

Beatriz Sepe de González

Liaison Committee Chairman OAS

Marlene Romano
committee member liaison with the OAS
December 13, 2010

REPORT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE INTER-AMERICAN MEETING OF MINISTERS

AND HIGH AUTHORITIES ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Dra. Luchy de Elías

committee member liaison with the OAS

"HISTORICAL SYNTHESIS OF THE OAS"

April 14, 2011 Costa Rica

Beatriz Sepe

"HEMISPHERICAL COMMEMORATION OF THE 10 th ANNIVERSARY"

Nhury Gutiérrez Vilches

Dolores Pedrals Torres

September 3 and 4, 2011