Costa Rica took over the rotating chair of the Organization of American States Permanent Council today, placing Ambassador Alejandra Solano at the head of one of the body’s main political forums through June 30. The handover took place at OAS headquarters in Washington, D.C., as Costa Rica assumed the three-month post under the organization’s alphabetical rotation system.
In remarks during the ceremony, Solano said Costa Rica would lead the council in line with the OAS Charter and the rules of the organization, while focusing on dialogue, consensus, and practical results for member states. She said the Costa Rican delegation was taking on the role with humility and with the conviction that the work could move forward successfully through cooperation.
The OAS Permanent Council brings together the permanent representatives of the member states and serves as a key forum for day-to-day diplomatic work inside the hemispheric body. Its chair rotates every three months among member states in alphabetical order, while the vice chair rotates in reverse alphabetical order. For the March to June period, Canada’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Stuart Savage, will serve as vice chair.
Outgoing chair Luis Ernesto Vargas, Colombia’s permanent representative to the OAS, said his country had tried to keep a concrete agenda during its term while handling difficult moments. He also offered support to Solano as she begins Costa Rica’s turn in the role.
Costa Rica’s assumption of the chair gives the country a more visible role in steering council discussions over the next three months, as the OAS continues to deal with regional issues that often require coordination, negotiation, and consensus among its member states.
