ParlAmericas participated in the 47th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States
From June 19-21, ParlAmericas participated in the 47th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), Strengthening Dialogue and Concerted Action for Prosperity, which took place in Cancun, Mexico. The delegation, led by Senator Marcela Guerra (Mexico), President of ParlAmericas, was composed of legislators from Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Grenada, Mexico, and Panama.
Member of Parliament Robert Nault (Canada), Vice-President of ParlAmericas, highlighted the importance of ParlAmericas’ participation, stating that “working with the OAS allows us to reinforce the important role of parliaments in the governance and legislation of the hemisphere and to improve understanding of global issues like climate change and gender equality.” The President of the Senate Chester Humphrey and Vice-President of the Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality, indicated that “participating in these instances allows us to present the ways in which parliaments can be play a role to support the resolution of difficulties between and within States”. Likewise, Representative Germán Blanco (Colombia), Member of ParlAmericas’ Board, highlighted that “the presence of our parliaments legitimizes our role in regards to diplomatic decisions taken by the Executive, allowing us to lobby as necessary to position our parliamentary work”.
ParlAmericas’ work supports the efforts of the OAS through strengthening parliaments, to build more efficient, transparent and inclusive institutions that adopt measures to guarantee gender equality and mitigate climate change, among others.
