Farewell to Ambassador Montserrat Solano Carboni of Costa Rica

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

On behalf of the Delegation of the Dominican Republic and on my own behalf, we wish, at this farewell, to pay tribute to Ambassador Montserrat Solano Carboni. It has fallen to us to work closely with the Ambassador of Costa Rica, which gave us the opportunity to witness her courage, dedication, professional honesty, deep sense of legality and intellectual sincerity.

During the time the Ambassador represented her country, we can attest that she defended the interests of Costa Rica with great dignity, being a fine negotiator among her peers and, moreover, a promoter of collective initiatives for the common good, for which we are deeply grateful.

She helped in the search for solutions to the problems we had to address, both here in the Permanent Council and throughout the Organization of American States (OAS), showing her energy and enthusiasm in the work of strengthening the Organization and the ties among its members. I also wish to highlight her staunch defense of peace and democracy and her promotion of human rights, especially the rights of women.

Doña Montse has been a particularly precious presence in these difficult times of pandemic, through her constant effort to maintain the operational continuity of the Organization, to give it agility and to identify opportunities for improvement and for better use of resources. Equally precious is her work in building and promoting mechanisms for cooperation and for the exchange of information, good practices and scientific discoveries to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.

Ambassador, historically the advances and achievements made in moments of global crisis such as this have been possible thanks to the efforts of people like you who, from the outset, are able to grasp the magnitude of the problems, see the enormous potential for cooperation among States and work rhythmically and melodiously, with prudence, weaving harmonious solutions, lighting the way toward collective answers and dispelling the fog of the absurd, the senseless and the lack of rigor. We deeply admire your ability to focus and to be so effective in reconciling different points of view, finding alternatives and bringing the extremes closer together, always with dignity, respect and tolerance.

Dear friend of the Dominican Republic: today is a bittersweet day for all of us, because we know that you will no longer be here advancing common agendas or seeking the necessary consensus; but at the same time we are certain that your work and dedication will continue in larger forums, for the progress and well-being of all.

Personally, I offer you my deep and sincere gratitude for your openness, for your kindness, your consideration and your trust. Know that I admire and respect you and see you as an example. We, like your own team, are proud of your service. We wish you success in the new challenges that lie ahead of you. You will always have in us an ally and a friend.