The Bahamas at the OAS 54th General Assembly – Day 1 Recap
Thursday 26th June, 2024
Wednesday marked the official opening of the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly in Asuncion, Paraguay.
The delegation, led by Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Jamahl Strachan and Ambassador of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the OAS, H.E. Chet Neymour, attended a number of high-level meetings pertaining to a variety of important issues affecting The Bahamas.
Parliamentary Secretary Strachan, accompanied by Foreign Services Officer Rolanda Davis, attended a meeting on the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, convened by the United States, to discuss ongoing preparatory efforts among partners as the Mission to Haiti is set to imminently commence.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Neymour, accompanied by Foreign Service Officer Alexavia Dean, attended a CARICOM Caucus meeting in preparation for the General Assembly. This meeting served as an opportunity for coordination on regional priorities for engagement during the week’s proceedings.
Other members of the delegation in addition to Ms. Christie Lightbourn, Second Secretary and Alternative Representative in the Permanent Mission of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the OAS attended a Dialogue with Representatives of Civil Society organisations where participants engaged on proposals for improvement of the quality of life of marginalised communities within member states.
In the afternoon the delegation attended a dialogue between Heads of Delegation and OAS Permanent Observer states. Parliamentary Secretary Strachan gave an address at this meeting laying out the administration’s most pressing priorities: the urgent need to address climate change with sustainable development and finding a solution to the ongoing situation in Haiti. He also promoted the OAS as a mechanism for advancing multilingualism among OAS nation-states.
Later in the afternoon, the delegation participated in bilateral meetings with The Republic of Haiti and the Federative Republic of Brazil. The evening concluded with the opening ceremony of the OAS General Assembly, chaired by host country Paraguay.
