On October 24, the leadership of the Inter-American Defense Board participated in the First Virtual Meeting of Commanders within the framework of the XXXVI cycle of the Conference of American Armies (CEA), held in Mexico City, on which occasion they presented their contributions in the field of Regional Security.
In his opening statement, Brigadier General Marco Antonio Álvarez Reyes, President of the IADB Council of Delegates, greeted Distinguished Major General Norberto Cortes Rodríguez, Commander of the Mexican Army and President of the Conference of American Armies (CEA), as well as the Commanders of the CEA Member Armies, Observer Armies, Special Observers and Military Observer Organizations.
He mentioned that throughout this 36th cycle of the CEA, the participation of the Inter-American Defense Board has been constant and committed, so that, in February of this year, the President of the Council of Delegates of the IADB attended the Inaugural Session of the CEA in Mexico City, reaffirming the commitment of the IADB to promoting confidence, defense and hemispheric security in the area of multilateral cooperation in the consultative, technical and educational contexts.
For his part, Major Brigadeiro do Ar Flavio Luiz de Oliveira Pinto, Director General of the IADB Secretariat, announced that at the Specialized Conferences held in Paraguay, the IADB made a valuable contribution by presenting the Mechanism for Cooperation in the Event of Disaster (MECODE-CDMA), developed at the request of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Americas. This tool seeks to strengthen the integration of our defense capabilities and inter-institutional coordination in the region, a crucial component in the current security environment.
Within the structure of the CEA, the IADB actively participates in the four Specialized Committees that address fundamental defense and security issues:
• The Committee on Society's Trust in the Armed Forces is working on a key analysis to strengthen the links between the Armed Forces and the communities they serve.
• The IADB also participates in the Analysis of Peace Operations, providing new perspectives for the professional development of our armies, with the participation of the Research Division of the Inter-American Defense College.
• In the Cyberdefense Section, work is being done on generating advanced military doctrine, which is vital to confront growing digital threats.
• The Environment and Climate Change Section addresses Climate Change and Water Scarcity as risk factors for national and regional security, among others:
In addition to these committees, the participation of the IADB in the “OPERATION PÉEKÁAMBA” stands out, which took place from June 16 to 21, 2024, with the presence of 34 foreign delegates. This exercise significantly highlighted the offer of Humanitarian Aid by the Armies and the Member Organizations of the CEA, achieving mutual collaboration and cooperation as observers. The participation of the IADB in the Execution Phase of this exercise in July 2025 is eagerly awaited, where the value of this knowledge will be analyzed in an even more complex physical environment.
Finally, Brigadier General Alvarez Reyes mentioned that the IADB remains firm in its mission of contributing to peace and security in the hemisphere and promoting cooperative defense that responds to emerging challenges. He reiterated his gratitude for the opportunity to share the progress of the IADB and reaffirmed that they will continue to work together, mentioning that through cooperation and the joining of efforts, the security and stability of the nations of the hemisphere will be guaranteed.
