Organization of American States

The Organization of American States (OAS) is a regional organization of countries in the Americas. It works through political dialogue and cooperation on democracy, human rights, security, and development.

OAS General Assembly: The OAS’s principal plenary organ, where member states set policy and approve its budget. It is the organization’s highest decision-making forum, bringing all member states together.
Pan-Americanism: A movement promoting cooperation, solidarity, or political association among countries of the Americas. It supplied the broader regional ideal behind the OAS’s institutional beginnings.
OAS Electoral Observation Missions: OAS missions that assess electoral processes and issue findings and recommendations in member states. They apply the organization’s democratic commitments directly to elections.
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States: A regional bloc of Latin American and Caribbean states that excludes the United States and Canada. Unlike the OAS, it brings together the region without North American membership.
OAS Permanent Council: The OAS body that maintains ongoing relations among member states and carries out General Assembly decisions. It handles continuing political discussions and can respond between annual assemblies.
International Conference of American States: A series of intergovernmental meetings that developed cooperation among American republics from the late nineteenth century. These conferences established diplomatic practices that preceded the OAS.
OAS Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia: An OAS mission established in 2004 to monitor Colombia’s peace process and the reintegration of former combatants. It shows the organization’s role in supporting peacebuilding within a member state.
Union of South American Nations: A South American intergovernmental organization created to promote regional integration and cooperation. Its narrower geographic scope and integration focus distinguish it from the hemisphere-wide OAS.
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: An autonomous OAS organ that promotes and protects human rights in the Americas. It investigates complaints and monitors rights conditions across the region.
Pan American Union: An organization founded in 1910 to support cooperation among American republics and the work of their conferences. It was the OAS’s direct institutional predecessor.

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