Suriname’s Minister of International Affairs Albert Ramchand Ramdin attends a plenary session in the course of the Summit on peace in Ukraine, on the luxurious Burgenstock resort, close to Lucerne, on June 16, 2024.
Photograph by URS FLUEELER/POOL/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Surinamese International Minister Albert Ramdin was Monday elected as the brand new secretary common of the Group of American States (OAS), changing into the primary Caribbean Neighborhood nationwide to take action and breaking a many years outdated stranglehold by candidates from Latin American international locations. Ramdin will succeed Uruguayan diplomat Luis Almagro within the high place within the coming weeks.
It was a comparatively simple journey for Ramdin, 66, a former two time period assistant secretary common on the OAS as much as 2015, as different candidates for the place had both withdrawn up to now week or had failed to realize assist from different hemispheric nations.
“That is the primary time within the historical past of the OAS {that a} consultant from the Caribbean has been elected secretary common,” an elated Surinamese authorities stated in a press release.
“It’s a nice honor for Suriname that our candidate has been supported by the overwhelming majority of the member states,” stated President Chan Santokhi noting Ramdin’s “calm assurance.”
The 15- nation CARICOM bloc of which Suriname is a member, hailed his election. “This landmark election marks the primary time a consultant from a CARICOM member state has been elected as secretary common. Mr. Ramdin’s election displays the boldness of member states in his talents. The group is assured that Minister Ramdin will serve in his new position upholding the constitution of the OAS and demonstrating the required experience to navigate regional challenges.”
Ramdin had additionally seved as an assistant secretary common at CARICOM and can nearly full a single time period as frogn Minister, having been appointed again in 2020. He takes over in Might, in the identical month when Suriname will maintain common elections.
Ramdin had obtained the total backing of all 14 regional member states and assist from Brazil and a slew of different influential hemispheric nations as it seems that they’d rallied behind the Caribbean candidate in bigger than normal numbers for the primary time for the reason that founding of the group again in 1948.
