Lieutenant General Guy Thibault, Chairman of the Inter-American Defense Board,
Ambassador Duly Brutus, Chairman of the Permanent Council of the OAS,
Distinguished Permanent Representatives and delegates,
General Juarez Aparecido de Paula Cunha, Director General of the Secretariat of the IADB,
Distinguished Permanent Observers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I want to thank the Chairman of the Inter-American Defense Board Lieutenant General Thibault for the invitation to be part of this commemoration of the Inter-American Defense Board, as well as recognize all the authorities gathered here today to recognize the 70th Anniversary of the Board. This anniversary undoubtedly represents a significant milestone for our hemisphere. I am indeed pleased to represent the Organization of American States and the Secretary General at this commemoration.

Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza has shared with you, as mentioned before, his congratulations and views in writing, and I understand that this letter has been or will be send to you electronically.

Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, it is my firm belief that the Inter-American Defense Board and its College have an integral role to play in supporting the major pillars and mandates of the Organization of American States.

As I have stated before, as the Hemisphere evolves – so must its institutions, organs and mandates. This is why I believe that the OAS and the Inter-American Defense Board have an opportunity to, under OAS mandates, work towards stronger and more effective implementation, so as to better respond to the threats and challenges posed by rising insecurity and transnational crime, which affect all of our member states.

Mr. Chairman, our Hemisphere has seen significant progress in the area of democracy, rule of law and human rights. We have made great strides in tthe deepening of democracy and it's institutions in our societies. We must therefore ensure that this process continues through strengthening of our capacities, both at the political and technical levels, to reduce and eliminate security challenges. Therefore, I strongly believe that the OAS and its specialized institutions like the IADB and IADC need to maintain an active and continuous engagement with its member states.

For most Latin American and Caribbean countries, the new security agenda now focuses on intra-state problems. Latin America and the Caribbean are sub-regions with a concerning level of intra-national conflict, where violence plays a critical role and affects perceptions of security that go beyond the borders of each state. Security and social stability are seriously threatened by the rise in both organized and non-organized crime.

On-going challenges such as migration, rising crime and violence rates, poverty, inequity and inequality, social and economic marginalization and lack of inclusive political processes, border controversies and disputes, all point to the need for a strategic, hemispheric security paradigm which places development at the center of its focus.

Another challenge in our security agenda lies with improving the capacity of our member states to respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Emergencies are becoming increasingly more complex and costly to manage. The Inter-American Defense Board has the experience and expertise to work with OAS member states on these issues and to help develop a more coordinated mechanism for response and humanitarian assistance, which is an imperative and more relevant than ever before.

The Inter-American Defense Board and its College also represent an excellent opportunity for our member states to access valuable research, training and resources.

In my view, the Inter-American Ministerial of Ministers of Defense, provides an ongoing and important platform for dialogue and concerted action on many of the security challenges member states face today. Moving forward, our organizations must continue to improve civilian/military coordination and relations, improve cooperation on security, natural disaster mitigation, disease control, environmental degradation and so many other security related issues that will equip us to cope with and adequately respond to current or emerging threats. All these issues require pragmatic and realistic resolve oriented scenario’s, many of which will be part of the discussion among the leaders of this hemisphere in Cartagena, Colombia in two-and-a-half weeks time.

Based on the technical knowledge of the Inter-American Defense Board member states may wish to consider what role the IADB can play in this regard.

In closing, Mr. Chairman, the OAS recognizes that peace, stability and prosperity are highly interrelated. In a multilateral world where interstate and intrastate conflicts as well as transnational threats affect all of us, it is crucial to work collaboratively to address these threats and promote a culture of peace in the world, by utilizing all the multilateral platforms available to us.

Once again, I congratulate the Inter-American Defense Board with the 70th anniversary, now also as an institution of the Organization of American States.

I thank you for your time and kind attention.