Fifty years of Spain as Permanent Observer

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

With the leave of Panama, Coordinator of our Regional Group, the Dominican delegation wishes to join in thanking Ambassador Carmen Montón, Permanent Observer of Spain to the Organization of American States (OAS), for having brought about the inclusion in this regular meeting of the Permanent Council of the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of Spain as Permanent Observer to our Organization.

We wish to make special reference to the leadership that Ambassador Carmen Montón and the Permanent Observer Mission of Spain, together with a group of ambassadors and permanent missions of our Organization, have assumed in recent years on gender equity, non-violence against women and the empowerment of women. In that regard, we reiterate our thanks for the support given in organizing the panel “The economic empowerment of women as a tool against discrimination and gender-based violence”, held by both missions at the Art Museum of the Americas on November 23 last, during the chairmanship of this Permanent Council by the Dominican Republic.

As for the particular case of bilateral relations between the Dominican Republic and Spain, they grow stronger each day. As a sign of the interest of both countries in continuing to strengthen those relations, the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, has met twice in recent months with His Majesty King Felipe VI and the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez. Those meetings took place within the framework of the Dominican Republic’s pro tempore presidency of the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government, and with a view to continuing to strengthen bilateral cooperation, Spanish investment and Spanish tourism in our country. Other important subjects addressed at those meetings were vaccination against COVID-19, the world economic crisis, bilateral relations, respect for democratic values, dialogue, and freedom and human rights in Latin America.

Mr. Chair, for the Dominican Republic the Kingdom of Spain is a partner and friend of the first order, both in our bilateral relations and within our Organization. We are certain that these relations, and Spain’s support for the OAS, will continue to develop each day, which will without doubt contribute positively to the maintenance of peace, respect for human rights and the strengthening of the democratic institutions of our Hemisphere.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.