By Sir Ronald Sanders
The election of a new Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), scheduled for March 10, 2025, represents a pivotal moment not only for the organization but also for the countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
For the first time, the 14 CARICOM member states are unified in their strategic support of a single candidate: Albert Ramdin, the foreign minister of Suriname. With this alignment, CARICOM has positioned itself as a strong bloc in an election fraught with geopolitical implications, gender equity debates, and regional rivalries.
The geopolitical landscape
The collective endorsement of Ramdin’s candidacy by CARICOM gives him 14 of the 18 votes required for victory. He has announced that he also has the committed support of Chile, Honduras, and Peru. Assuming these commitments hold, he is just one vote shy of clinching the position.
Meanwhile, Paraguay’s foreign minister Rubén Ramírez has emerged as a contender. In a bold display to OAS member states, Ramírez prominently exhibited a photograph of himself with US president-elect Donald Trump at the latter’s Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, on November 25. He also made pointed references to conversations about the future direction of the OAS with Carlos Trujillo, a former US ambassador to the OAS under Trump’s first presidency. While Ramírez’s display appears calculated to imply tacit US backing, it remains unclear whether such support will materialize or significantly influence the race.
The election reflects broader tensions within the Americas. The OAS has long adhered to an informal rule that the secretary-general and assistant secretary-general cannot hail from the same subregion. With Ramdin vying for the top post, CARICOM’s ability to retain the assistant secretary-general position – a role that CARICOM nationals have held for 40 of the past 45 years – is uncertain.
The UN factor
Beyond the OAS, the election has ramifications for global diplomacy. A successful bid by a CARICOM candidate for secretary-general of the OAS could effectively disqualify the region from fielding a candidate for the United Nations secretary-general position in 2026. It is widely believed that it is the turn of the Latin American and Caribbean Group at the UN to assume the post of secretary general. Latin American states may leverage Ramdin’s OAS victory to block CARICOM nominees for the UN secretary general post, arguing that the region cannot hold both roles.
This dynamic underscores the zero-sum nature of global and regional diplomacy, where gains in one arena can translate to losses in another.
Gender and regional politics
Calls for a female secretary general at both the OAS and the UN add another layer of complexity. Although no women have officially entered the race for either position, the expectation for gender equity remains significant. Barbados’ prime minister Mia Mottley has been informally touted, in international circies, as a potential candidate, though she has not expressed interest. Meanwhile, some Latin American women are actively seeking the UN secretary general post and may yet emerge in the OAS race, complicating the dynamics further.
Additionally, after the inauguration of president Trump on January 20, 2025, the United States – historically influential in OAS elections – may sponsor a Latin American candidate aligned with US interests. Should this occur, considerable pressure will likely be applied to OAS member states to support the US-favoured candidate. The betting within the OAS is that this scenario is a strong possibility, and it is being watched with considerable interest.
What’s at stake for CARICOM?
CARICOM’s collective backing of Ramdin marks a significant milestone in regional diplomacy, demonstrating a rare unity when a top international position is at stake -particularly in the face of potential influence or pressure from larger powers.
However, a loss in the secretary-general race could jeopardize CARICOM’s ability to secure either of the OAS’s top positions. With its focus on the March 2025 secretary general election, CARICOM would have limited time to campaign effectively for a candidate in the assistant secretary general election just two months later in May, should Ramdin’s bid fall short.
With neither posts of secretary-general or the assistant secretary-general, CARICOM will lose the prestige and recognition that occupation of the top positions bestow. However, the group’s influence in the OAS will not necessarily diminish, provided its national delegations are firmly and positively engaged in its work.
Conclusion
The outcome of the election for OAS secretary-general will profoundly shape the future role and direction of the Organization. One must hope that, in the end, the choice will be guided not by the nationality or region of the candidate, nor by the desire of any nation to dominate the OAS, but by the candidate’s vision for a strong Organization and its mission to integrate and strengthen The Americas on a basis of equity and rights.
CARICOM and its candidate, Albert Ramdin, must embrace and champion this principle, recognizing that the stakes extend far beyond personal or regional ambitions. Regardless of the outcome, CARICOM’s unified stance in this election signals a growing maturity in its regional diplomacy – an approach that must continue to guide its engagement on the global stage.
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