OAS General Secretariat Statement on commitment to the principles of the OAS Charter

Press Release

OAS General Secretariat Statement on commitment to the principles of the OAS Charter

Secretary General Albert Ramdin was elected unanimously on 10 March 2025 as the first CARICOM national to this position, after having served two terms as Assistant Secretary General (2005-2010). Secretary General Ramdin is known for seeking consensus on issues and ways to move forward collectively, upon which his vision is based towards peace and prosperity in the Americas.

As his professional trajectory has shown, he is committed to the principles of the OAS, and to ensuring the proper and transparent management of the Secretariat to deliver on the commitments to the peoples of the Americas enshrined in the OAS Charter of 1948. Consequently, the Secretary General has an obligation to execute his duties in accordance with the rules, regulations and protocols, as established over the past decades towards all member states. As stipulated in Article 119 of the OAS Charter: "The Member States, on the other hand, pledge themselves to respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Secretary General and the personnel of the General Secretariat, and not to seek to influence them in the discharge of their duties."

We take note of the concerns that have been raised publicly in the last few weeks, and after extensive consultations with OAS Member States and an assessment of the pressing circumstances, we now wish to address them with the seriousness they deserve.

Recent communications have attempted to install the narrative that there are financial governance concerns in the performance of the OAS Secretary General. It is a known fact that matters related to accounting, finance, budget formulation and execution, as well as the administrative processes and procedures applicable to the General Secretariat, fall under the responsibility of the Executive Director, who leads the principal administrative and financial oversight unit of the General Secretariat, serves as a member of the Secretary General's cabinet and operates within a defined framework of internal regulations, financial controls, and segregation of duties. He is supported by a staff of experienced professionals who ensure rules and procedures are observed. The Executive Director of the OAS is serves as liaison between the OAS General Secretariat and the Member States to clarify any information requested by the membership and ensure that all rules and procedures are respected.

Moreover, the General Secretariat is subject to a robust system of financial oversight. This includes annual external audits conducted by independent, internationally recognized accountants and auditors in accordance with established accounting standards, as well as internal audits and evaluations carried out by the Office of the Inspector General. These audits assess not only financial compliance, but also efficiency, internal controls, and the proper use of resources. The Office of the Inspector General serves as the OAS' own formal oversight mechanism, with the lead chosen through a competitive process validated by OAS member states. The OIG is exclusively mandated to determine financial irregularities. No such irregularities have been found in the first year of the Secretary General's tenure, and until the OIG issues audit findings, any claim regarding financial governance is unsubstantiated and politically speculative.

Finally, the Secretary General of the OAS does not unilaterally control funds, and management and the execution of OAS mandates and activities follows a program-budget approved by the General Assembly. In addition, the General Secretariat reports regularly and transparently to the political organs of the Organization, including the Permanent Council and the General Assembly, in accordance with mandated reporting requirements. These multilayered oversight and accountability mechanisms collectively ensure a high standard of financial probity, transparency, and institutional integrity in the management of the Organization's resources.

Another allegation concerns nepotism, or favoritism, in the appointment of the Secretary General's Chief of Staff. It is unfortunate that the appointment of an OAS staff member is being used to question the performance of the Secretary General, while subjecting the staff member in question to actions contrary to those principles we propagate throughout the whole region. Nonetheless, as established in OAS rules and regulations, the Secretary General has administrative authority over staffing within the General Secretariat.

Moreover, as explicitly stated in article 118 of the OAS Charter: In the performance of their duties, the Secretary General and the personnel of the Secretariat shall not seek or receive instructions from any Government or from any authority outside the Organization and shall refrain from any action that may be incompatible with their position as international officers responsible only to the Organization.

Recent narratives have also alleged an arbitrary determination by the Secretary General of excessive compensation that brought to light the salary and supposed benefits that the aforementioned staff member receives. Compensation at the OAS is not arbitrary but responds to approved budget frameworks and is subject to standardized scales and administrative review. Similarly, the compensation for staff members employed by the General Secretariat is governed by a compensation and benefits system aligned with the United Nations common system (the "UN common system" or "Noblemaire principle"), which ensures parity across international organizations. This framework has been established and periodically reaffirmed by the Member States through the General Assembly and has been in effect since the mid-1990s. Accordingly, compensation levels are not determined on a discretionary or individual basis but are set within an approved institutional system endorsed by the governing bodies of the Organization.

The Secretary General has consistently maintained that any concerns should be addressed through the established oversight mechanisms of the Organization, and therefore welcomes a review conducted in accordance with those procedures, as this ensures that conclusions are based on facts, not speculation.

Above all, his foremost concern remains the integrity and well-being of the Organization he has long served and to which he is deeply committed as he believes that full transparency best serves the interests of the OAS and its Member States. In this regard, and in the spirit of transparency, and the goal of preserving the enduring mandate of the OAS, we also confirm our full disposition to discuss the terms of a formal, independent investigation, if the Member States so desire.

The leadership and General Secretariat of the Organization of American States will continue its focus on the execution of its statutory and mandated responsibilities, policies and programs, and the preparation of the upcoming 56th General Assembly in Panama City in the interest of all member states.

Reference: E-074/26