Canada is committed to close cooperation with its partners throughout the Americas. Today, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced Parliamentary Secretary Rob Oliphant will visit Medellín, Colombia, to represent Canada at the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) from June 26 to June 28, 2019.

“Canada is committed to upholding democracy, human rights, security and development—the four pillars of the OAS. All members of the organization have an obligation to stand up for those principles, especially at a time when democracy and human rights are under threat, to ensure peace and security in our hemisphere. Canada will continue to underscore this point at the meetings in Colombia this week, which offer an important opportunity to discuss the pressing challenges in Venezuela and Nicaragua.”

- Rob Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

• The OAS is the premier multilateral organization of the Americas. Along with the Summit of the Americas process and broader inter-American system, it provides a key forum for hemispheric cooperation on issues of common interest.

• After 28 years as an observer, Canada became a member of the OAS on January 8, 1990.

• The upcoming General Assembly of the OAS will be held June 26 to 28 in Medellín, Colombia. It is an annual meeting at the foreign-minister level to provide direction to the OAS for the coming year.

• All 35 countries from South, Central, North America and the Caribbean make up the OAS.

Associated links

• Canada and the Organization of American States
• Organization of American States
• Canada and Latin America and the Caribbean

Adam Austen             
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Adam.Austen@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @CanadaFP 
Like us on Facebook: Canada’s foreign policy - Global Affairs Canada