OAS Assistant Secretary General hails PM Manning’s leadership as critical to success of V Summit of the Americas

WASHINGTON – At a reception on Capitol Hill to mark the occasion of President Obama’s First 100 Days in office and reflect on the V Summit of the Americas, OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin noted that the Summit could be seen as ushering in a new phase of engagement and dialogue among the countries of the Western Hemisphere.

Ambassador Ramdin noted that it was significant that President Barack Obama took advantage of the opportunity “to engage directly with colleague heads of state and government in our hemisphere during his first 100 days in office.”

In his remarks on the scope and results of the highest political event in the hemisphere, Ambassador Ramdin noted that “the leadership of Prime Minister Manning was critical to the substantive debate among the Heads, the spirit of cordiality that prevailed and the overall success of the Summit.”

“It is now up to all of us to keep this momentum alive and further the process of dialogue focusing on the current challenges and opportunities in the Western Hemisphere, especially the mitigation of the impact of the economic crisis,” Ambassador Ramdin told the audience while also indicating that there is an expectation that many of the issues discussed at the V Summit of the Americas will be also debated at the 39th General Assembly of the OAS in June in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Also offering remarks at the Capitol Hill event was Rep. Yvette Clarke, Chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, Science and Technology. Congresswoman Clarke who, with other congressional colleagues, joined President Obama at the Summit, emphasized the importance of incorporating Caribbean issues, interests and priorities into the US foreign policy agenda.

Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago, Ambassador Glenda Morean-Phillips expressed her government’s gratification at the successful outcome of the Summit.

The reception was co-hosted by the Caribbean Professional Network and the Virgin Islands Institute of Development (VIID).