OAS Ambassador for Honduras Explains How Country’s Inclusion in New Partnership Could Provide Access to Improved Infrastructure, New Technology

For this October edition of the GFDD Global Roundtables, GFDD Executive Director, Natasha Despotovic welcomed Ambassador Leonidas Rosa Bautista, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Honduras, for a session focused on the outcomes of the 45th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held on June 15 and 16 June 2015 in Washington, DC. The meeting also considered the OAS Ministerial Meeting organized in Honduras on October 19th
and 20th and the potential inclusion of Honduras to the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement being negotiated by 12 Pacific Rim countries.

Ambassador Bautista emphasized the important role of the OAS for the purposes of diplomacy within the Americas, stating that it is “the best tool
for dialogue in the region”. He added that “we can’t substitute it for another tool so we need to renew it and update it”. He proceed to explain that the 45th Ordinary Regular therefore sought to implement the strategic vision initially put forward by former Secretary-General Insulza in April 2013, which called to prioritize and rationalize the agenda items of the OAS.

Recalling the four pillars of the OAS which include security,
democracy, human rights, and development, Ambassador Bautista explained that the Member State delegates reached a common understanding that we need to create a new OAS which “is much closer to the people.”

Questioned by Despotovic about the objectives of the OAS Ministerial Meeting organized in Honduras, Ambassador Bautista stated that one of the priorities of the meeting would be the regional integration of the recently adopted targets of the Post
2015 UN Development Agenda through the creation of new structures to better accommodate the ambition of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Finally, turning to the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership, Despotovic asked the Ambassador what potential advantage Honduras could draw from inclusion this alliance. Ambassador Bautista stressed the urgent need of new infrastructure and better access to technology
as a key development need of the country, which could be attained through membership to this new trade group.

About Ambassador Rosa Bautista
Ambassador Leonidas Rosa Bautista is a prominent lawyer who has juggled teaching, a private law practice and his functions in the public service for over 35 years. In 2003, he served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Honduras. He has served as Deputy Minister of the Interior and Deputy
in the National Congress. Shortly before taking office at the OAS, Ambassador Rosa Bautista was Attorney General of the Public Ministry, where he focused on the punishment of common crimes, claiming that they were the crimes that had the most impact on the population. In 2011, the President of Honduras appointed him as Permanent Representative of Honduras to the Organization of American States. Months later, the ambassador was elected to act to the role of Vice President of the Committee on
Hemispheric Security of the Permanent Council of the Organization.

About the Global Roundtable
In close association with the United Nations, the Mission of the Dominican Republic to the UN, GFDD organizes regular meetings with UN Ambassadors and other prominent figures in the international community in an effort to spread the news, knowledge and understanding of other countries, global issues and work of different United Nations bodies to
its audience in the Dominican Republic, the US and around the world.

The regular series, GFDD Global Roundtable is also a part of GFDD’s program to support the work of the United Nations and, as a non-governmental institution affiliated to it, contribute to the visibility and understanding of its work.

Related Links:
www.gfddglobalroundtable.org