Post by Sir Ronald Sanders. Ambassador

New commentary on the future of the OAS ahead of the 56th General Assembly in Panama. As the 56th General Assembly of the OAS meets in Panama from 22 to 24 June, Sir Ronald Sanders – a veteran ambassador and Dean of the OAS Corps of Ambassadors – offers a candid assessment of the Organization’s condition. The commentary addresses the crucial issues now confronting the OAS, including chronic underfunding, internal differences over its direction and debates about the independence of the Secretary General, and argues that the Organization must be reformed, properly funded and refocused on real hemispheric challenges rather than dismissed as “not fit for purpose.” Organización de los Estados Americanos, Inter-American Development Bank, Chatham House,CARICOM Secretariat