WASHINGTON, D.C., December 7, 2020 — His Excellency Sidney Collie, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), met with Ambassador Nestor Mendez, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, on Monday, December 7, at the Embassy of The Bahamas, 2220 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
ASG Mendez delivered a plaque and a set of OAS desktop flags for Bahamas Foreign Minister Darren Henfield, who served as President of the 50th General Assembly of The OAS in October 2020. Ambassador Collie thanked the ASG and accepted the tokens on behalf of Minister Henfield.
Nestor Mendez was elected as the ninth Assistant Secretary General of the OAS on March 18, 2015. He began serving his first five-year term on July 13, 2015 and on March 20, 2020 was unanimously re-elected by the General Assembly to serve a second five-year term.
According to Wikipedia, “As Secretary to the Permanent Council and its subsidiary bodies, Ambassador Mendez is central to its deliberations and to the core work of the General Secretariat. In working to address the issues confronting the hemisphere, he has given priority attention to climate change and natural disasters, advocated for women’s rights and gender equality, and has brought renewed focus to the plight of marginalized and vulnerable groups. He has also been at the forefront of promoting innovation, competitiveness, and entrepreneurship as avenues for unearthing leadership and talent, and for empowering the youth of the Americas.”
Upon receiving the mandate from member states, ASG Mendez pledged his “unwavering commitment to seize the opportunity that is before us to work together to transform the OAS into the Organization that we want and that the people of the Americas deserve.”
“Assistant Secretary General Mendez has worked closely with the Secretary General and Member States towards the revitalization and modernization of the institution, in advancing its role and relevance in the hemisphere, in fostering partnerships for development, and strengthening regional inter-connectivity,” Wikipedia notes.
He remains driven to build upon the work which he has started, and fully committed to expanding on the progress achieved “in positioning the OAS to deliver enduring security, lasting peace, progress and development for the Hemisphere.”
Prior to his election, Nestor Mendez was a career diplomat in the Foreign Service of Belize. He served as the Ambassador to the United States of America, Permanent Representative to the OAS, and Non-Resident High Commissioner to Canada.
