News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Tues. Jan. 14, 2014: The Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the Organization of American States (OAS), Pedro Vergés, has assumed the Chair of the Permanent Council of the hemispheric institution.
Upon receiving the gavel that represents the Council’s authority from his predecessor, Ambassador Vergés said his country “is engaged in a continuous process of institutional and democratic strengthening which will not rest for a second.”
“And on that basis we will work to strengthen the OAS not only in our territory, but also in the territories of our brother countries vying for the same,” he added.
Secretary General Insulza recalled that when he took office, eight and half years ago, the Chair of the Permanent Council was held by the Ambassador of Perú, Alberto Borea, who was succeeded by the Dominican Ambassador Roberto Álvarez.
“This means that today we are witnessing a complete cycle in the Council, where the 34 countries participating in the Organization have assumed the Chair of the Council, and it is a positive development that deserves to be highlighted,” said the OAS Secretary General.
The Permanent Council’s statutes establish that the chair be held by each of the Permanent Representatives in turn, following the alphabetic order in Spanish of the names of their respective countries, and the office of Vice Chair, by identical standards, following reverse alphabetical order. The Vice Chair of the Council will be the Permanent Representative of Venezuela, Ambassador Roy Chaderton.
