Global Roundtable Interview with the Permanent Representative of Peru to the Organization of American States, Ambassador Ana Rosa Valdivieso

The Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) was pleased to have Ambassador Ana Rosa Valdivieso, Permanent Representative of Peru to the Organization of American States (OAS), at the Washington, DC office for another 2018 edition of the Global Roundtables series. Semiramis de Miranda, GFDD Projects and ICT Director, and diplomat and GFDD contributor, Angie Martinez, welcomed Valdivieso to the GFDD offices.

Martinez opened the discussion by asking Ambassador Valdivieso about Peru’s role in the OAS. The Ambassador stressed that “Peru is a country committed to democracy and to human rights.” “Both of these issues are fundamental to the job that I carry out at the OAS,” she said. The Ambassador went on to explain the significant role that Peru has played in encouraging peace in Venezuela and, more recently, in Nicaragua. Peru has worked diligently on security issues and counternarcotic work as well, said Valdivieso.

Next, the two chatted about the recent 8th Summit of the Americas, which was held in Lima, Peru. Ambassador Valdivieso highlighted the focus of the Summit, which was “Democratic Governance Against Corruption.” She mentioned that the signing of the Lima Commitment was the greatest achievement of the meeting. The Lima Commitment was signed at the end of the 8th Summit of the Americas. It commits all signees to combat corruption and acknowledges that “the prevention of and fight against corruption are fundamental for the strengthening of democracy and the rule of law.”

Valdivieso went on to explain another achievement of Peru, the creation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter in 2001. The Inter-American Democratic Charter is a single document that embodies the democratic values of all the countries that make up the OAS, said the Ambassador. The OAS Permanent Representative made specific reference to Article 20, which explains the right of member states to suspend a state in violation of the Charter’s principles.

To end the conversation, Martinez and Valdivieso spoke about the current crisis in Venezuela, which is impacting all of the region, including Peru. The Ambassador mentioned that Peru alone has received around 550,000 Venezuelans since the start of the disaster. She stressed that taking in such large quantities of immigrants has presented many challenges for the country.

About the Permanent Representative of Peru to the Organization of American States, Ambassador Ana Rosa Valdivieso
Ana Rosa Valdivieso has a degree in Anthropology from the State University of New York; a Bachelor’s in International Relations from the Diplomatic Academy of Peru; postgraduate degree in Sociology and Anthropology from American University, Cairo; degrees in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Master’s in International Politics from the Free University of Brussels.

Valdivieso has worked in the Peruvian embassy in India; in the Peruvian Mission to UNESCO; in the Peruvian Embassy in Italy; at the Peruvian Representative to the European Union and was Head of Chancellery and Business Lead at the Peruvian Embassy in Spain.

Ambassador Valdivieso was a member of the Electoral Mission of the United Nations in South Africa during the first free elections in 1994. She held the position of President in the Council of Ministers from 2003 to 2006, when she led the creation of the G8 Plan Against Corruption. Valdivieso was a member of the Peruvian delegation on business to the International Criminal Court. In addition to Spanish, she speaks English, French, Italian, German and Portuguese.