The 54th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) took place from June 26 to June 28, 2024, in Asunción, Paraguay. The United States played a significant role in supporting various initiatives during the assembly.
Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard R. Verma, emphasized the U.S.'s longstanding support for the OAS: “We believe in the institution, its leadership, and ability to face the critical regional challenges in the future. Deeply supportive of this institution from its earliest days as the Pan American Union, the United States remains committed to strengthening and working with what we consider as the region’s preeminent organization.”
A primary focus of this assembly was on strengthening democracy and upholding the Inter-American Democratic Charter (IADC). The United States reaffirmed its commitment by launching new initiatives that include education in civic values and human rights. The U.S. also announced collaboration with the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) for training Caribbean and indigenous electoral candidates.
Electoral observation missions were highlighted as crucial for ensuring free and fair elections across the Americas. The U.S. supported a resolution advocating continued collaboration and shared financing for these missions by member states.
Human rights issues were also addressed. The U.S. co-sponsored resolutions urging Nicaragua to restore human rights to its citizens and presented resolutions on freedom of religion or belief, social protection, diversity in elections, and LGBTI+ rights.
On security matters, as Acting Chair of the OAS Haiti Working Group, the United States introduced a resolution focused on addressing Haiti's security situation through humanitarian relief and support for upcoming elections.
The role of civil society was acknowledged with efforts made to enhance dialogue within OAS forums. Professor Nienke Grossman was reelected to a second term on the Inter-American Juridical Committee (IAJC), marking her as one of only nine women to serve since 1942.
Looking forward to next year’s Tenth Summit of the Americas in Dominican Republic, discussions at this assembly aligned with commitments from previous summits focusing on democratic governance and digital transformation.
Sustainable development was another theme at this year's assembly. The United States backed resolutions promoting resilience against development challenges and emphasized cooperation with hemispheric partners in disaster response.
In conclusion, Deputy Secretary Verma reiterated America's dedication: "The United States is proud to advance these efforts in the development sphere as sustainable development strengthens democracy in our region."