PANAMA CITY, Panama — Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador and Head of Delegation, delivered a principled address at the 56th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Panama City, urging collective action on Haiti, institutional reform, and the defence of multilateralism. According to Antigua News Room, he reaffirmed his country's unwavering commitment to the Organisation and its founding Charter principles.
Opening his remarks, Sir Ronald declared that the OAS "remains essential to our Hemisphere" — describing it as the only institution where nearly all independent states of the Americas convene regularly for dialogue, cooperation, and collective action. "There is no substitute for it," he said, at a moment when multilateralism faces mounting global pressure and unilateral action is increasingly chosen over collective solutions.
On the question of institutional independence, Sir Ronald was direct. The independence of the Secretary General and the OAS Secretariat, he argued, is "a fundamental principle of the Charter, essential to the institutional balance of the Organization." Accountability, he acknowledged, is equally vital — but must be pursued through established mechanisms and in accordance with Charter procedures and the collective decisions of Member States.
Regarding reform, his position was unambiguous: "Reform must strengthen the Organization as a whole and proceed through the procedures established collectively and jointly by Member States." The objective, he made clear, is a stronger OAS — not a diminished one.
Sir Ronald reserved some of his strongest language for the crisis in Haiti, describing the levels of violence and insecurity facing its people as "unacceptable," with women and girls remaining "at grave risk." Antigua and Barbuda expressed full support for the United Nations-authorised Gang Suppression Force, noting that Haitian authorities themselves have formally requested international assistance.
He called on countries across the Americas to coordinate action against the transnational criminal networks operating in Haiti. Drug trafficking, illicit financial flows, and the cross-border movement of weapons and criminal actors must be disrupted and halted, he said. Those who finance and support gang activity must be identified, sanctioned, and prosecuted "wherever they operate — inside or outside of Haiti."
"We must act together to restore security and democratic governance, in the interest of Haiti and of the Hemisphere as a whole," Sir Ronald urged.
He closed by calling for an OAS that is "strong, independent, properly resourced, and representative of all the peoples of the Americas." The permanent forum for dialogue the Organisation provides — "a rules-based space where governments engage with mutual respect, even in disagreement" — must be strengthened, not undermined. "We believe this is the right choice," he concluded.
