On March 28, in Ordinary Session #1452, the Council of Delegates of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) celebrated the 81st anniversary of the organization, founded on March 30, 1942.
The oldest multilateral defense organization in the world, the IADB, was created during World War II, within the framework of the Third Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the 21 American Republics, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 28, 1942, having as its initial mission to study and propose measures for the defense of the continent, in the face of the threat posed by the Axis powers in World War II.
Currently, the IADB is a member entity of the Organization of American States (OAS) and its main purpose is to provide it and its member states with technical advisory, advisory and educational services on matters related to military and defense issues in the hemisphere, in order to contribute to compliance with the OAS Charter in its four pillars: Democracy, Human Rights, Security and Development, with a main focus on the Security pillar.
The Inter-American Defense Board reaches its 81st anniversary in the course of a challenging and stimulating process of renewal and convergence with the tasks inherent to the main challenges to the Security and Defense Systems of the Hemisphere today, in matters of terrorism, crime organized, natural disasters, environment, cybersecurity and cyberdefense, women, peace and security, human rights and international humanitarian law, among others.
In addition to the representatives of the American nations in the Council of Delegates, Vice Admiral Alexandre Rabello de Faria (Brazil), President of the Council, attended; Brigadier General Porfirio Fuentes Vélez (Mexico), General Director of the IADB Secretariat; Major General James E. Taylor (United States), Director of the Inter-American Defense College; and the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the OAS, Mr. Hugh Adsett.
