Colombia’s Vice President made a $600,000 contribution to the Organization of American States (OAS), to support a stronger alliance with the international group.
The donation will be used to strengthen collaboration between Colombia and the Washington-based OAS on matters such as “South-South” co-operation, which was established by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and involves the exchange of knowledge and resources between developing countries, as well as the protection and promotion of human rights through the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos said that, “it is time to support the OAS and its secretary general, and to strengthen the organizations of the inter-American system that are valuable. Colombia believes in freedom and human rights, and this donation is part of the fundamental commitment of the Colombian government and society to social and human rights.”
Secretary general of the OAS, Jose Miguel Insulza, added “we all know that the resources of international organizations are not enough to cover all social needs, and so public-private participation is fundamental. The PADF is one of the arms of the OAS for all these sorts of things, and it is good to know that countries are behind us and that we can broaden the resources of the organization with donations provided by nations and businesses so the foundation may better carry out its work.”
Of the $600,00, the PADF will receive $500,000, while the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights will each receive $50,000.