Liaison Committee


The general policies of the Alliance not only focus on the promotion of friendship and fraternity among the peoples of America, but also on programs to strengthen the quality of life and human dignity, through education as a vehicle for transformation, the promotion of women's equality and respect and sustainability of the environment, which are part of the inter-American agenda and are common with the objectives of the Organization of American States (OAS)


Since 1999, the OAS has created spaces for the participation of civil society in its activities, through Res CP/RES. 759 Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society Organizations in OAS Activities, which institutionalizes their participation in the political bodies of the OAS.

Definition of Civil Society Organization (CSO)

In accordance with the Guidelines established in Res. 759, a CSO is “any national or international institution, organization or entity made up of natural or legal persons of a non-governmental nature.”

Objectives of the Liaison Committee

    Exclusively channel all communication between the Alliance and the OAS.


    Participate in activities that are the responsibility of civil society organizations (CSOs), either by signing Cooperation Agreements, attending hemispheric meetings or presenting initiatives.



Historical review of the Liaison Committee with the OAS

The Alliance of Pan American Round Tables was accredited by the OAS as a Civil Society Organization in October 2001, with Ms. Lucía Peña de Elías (Fda.) as General Director, benefactor and manager of several Round Tables in the Dominican Republic.


Mrs. Helena Torres Muga. Richards, who was then entrusted with the Presidency of the Liaison Committee with the OAS, obtained for this effort the invaluable support of Dr. Carlos Chiriboga, senior official of the OAS and husband of Mrs. Fabiola de Chiriboga, member of the Committee, who also participated actively in his capacity as Past President of the Washington DC Board

Liaison with the OAS

The official communication of the Liaison Committee with the OAS is channeled through the Department of International Affairs (DAI) of the Secretariat of External Relations (SRE), which advises the Secretary General of the OAS on matters related to civil society organizations. (OSC).



Benefits of a CSO registered with the OAS

Among the benefits received by CSOs registered with the OAS and approved by the Permanent Council to participate in OAS activities are:

    Present recommendations and assist in the implementation of General Assembly resolutions when appropriate. Receive the schedule of OAS meetings and the topics to be discussed at said meetings. Designate representatives to participate in public meetings of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council. for Integral Development (CIDI) and its political bodies. Access virtual consultations related to OAS topics and initiatives. Contribute to the preparation of the agenda of an annual meeting of the Permanent Council that addresses a topic of interest to CSOs. registered with the OAS for a broad and substantive dialogue. Participate in meetings closed to the public of the Permanent Council, CIDI and its political bodies with the authorization of the Chair of the meeting, in consultation with the delegations of the participating Member States. Receive documents in advance of meetings of the working groups and special commissions of the Permanent Council or CIDI. Distribute written documents before meetings of the Committees of the Permanent Council or CIDI. Present written documents that do not exceed 2,000 words on issues within the particular sphere of its competence and that appear on the agenda or agenda of the meeting of the Permanent Council, CIDI and its Commissions. These documents will be distributed sufficiently in advance by the General Secretariat to the member states. Receive the resolutions adopted in the ordinary sessions of the OAS General Assembly.


Source: OAS