On April 2, in Ordinary Session #1463, the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) celebrated the 82nd anniversary of its creation.
The oldest multilateral defense organization in the world, founded on March 30, 1942, 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, having as its initial mission to study and propose measures for the defense of the continent.
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, integral development and multidimensional security.
The Inter-American Defense Board reaches its 82nd 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 terms of cybersecurity; disaster cooperation; International cooperation; human rights and international humanitarian law; humanitarian demining; migratory flows; weapons management; defense white papers; women, peace and security; new technologies; environmental Protection; maritime, air and land security, among others.
In his welcoming remarks to the participants in the ceremony, General Marco Antonio Álvarez Reyes (Mexico), President of the Council of Delegates of the IADB, highlighted the historical importance of the Inter-American Defense Board in fostering trust among the nations of the hemisphere. American. "Subregional, regional and international collaboration produces better results and the Board is an organization historically expert in international cooperation," he stated.
Brigadier Flávio Luiz de Oliveira Pinto (Brazil), Director General of the Secretariat, presented the solid results achieved by the IADB in 2023 and thanked the support of the institution's collaborators in the fulfillment of these tasks, such as the Hemispheric Security Commission and the OAS Secretariat for Multidimensional Security. «The results presented today were driven by the active collaboration of our partners. From now on, with the OAS-IADB Joint Work Plan and the consequent incorporation of new partners, we are sure that the results to come will reach even higher levels," he stated.
For his part, General Richard Heitkamp (USA), Director of the Inter-American Defense College (CID), highlighted the valuable work carried out by the CID in the noble mission of preparing military officers, national police and government officials civilians of OAS member states to assume high-level strategic positions in their governments through advanced academic and postgraduate programs in defense, security and related disciplines with a hemispheric focus.
In addition to the IADB leadership, the event was attended by distinguished members of the Organization of American States, such as the Secretary General of the organization, Ambassador Luis Almagro; the President of the Permanent Council and representative of the Bahamas, Ambassador Chet Donovan Neymour; the Secretary of Multidimensional Security, Ivan Marques; and the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women, Alejandra Mora. Remotely, the event included the participation of Ambassador Gustavo Adrianzén, former president of the OAS Hemispheric Security Commission and current Prime Minister of Peru.
Also contributing with their illustrious presence were the Ambassadors and representatives to the OAS of Argentina, Daniel Raimond; from Brazil, Benoni Belli; from Chile, Sebastián Chadwick; from El Salvador, Wendy Acevedo; from the United States, Francisco Mora; from Guatemala, Gonzalo Vásquez; from Haiti, León Charles; from Mexico, Luz Elena Baños; from Paraguay, Ana Sandoval; from the Dominican Republic, Mayerlyn Cordero; and from Uruguay, Washington Abdala, as well as diplomats, observers and members of the IADB Council of Delegates.
At the ceremony, the IADB Medal was also awarded to civil and military personalities, organizations and institutions for having provided valuable services within the framework of the activities of the Board and the member countries.
