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The rejection of military aggression – a CARICOM achievement

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By Sir Ronald Sanders

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organisation of American States.   He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London and Massey College in the University of Toronto)

CARICOM states led the way in the Organization of American States (OAS) on 21 April 2022 in a historic vote to suspend the status of the Russian Federation as a Permanent Observer to the Organization.

Eleven other CARICOM countries supported Antigua and Barbuda and Guatemala to help achieve an affirmative vote from 25 states of the 34 member states.  No country voted against the resolution.

There were no winners or losers among the members and permanent observers of the OAS.

The winners are respect for the international legal order, the authority of international law and the fundamental principles of both the UN and the OAS.   The Organization demonstrated that it cherishes international law, peace and freedom, and completely rejects aggression and war as legitimate means of settling disputes.

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By the vote, suspending Russia as a Permanent Observer, the OAS member states recorded, beyond doubt, that they will not tolerate the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and that no state, however, powerful should believe that it should attempt such adventurism and expect not to be roundly condemned.

There is an important lesson to be learned from the votes the 12 small CARICOM states and five of their counterparts from Central America.  They showed that small states, too, have a legitimate and strong voice in the hemisphere, and the world, to speak out for right and for justice.

They did so in their own voice, speaking as an echo to no one. They led; they did not follow.

In opening the debate and vote on the resolution, on behalf of Antigua and Barbuda, I made it clear that we were proposing the suspension of the status of the Russian Federation as a permanent observer to our Organization of the American States, “with a heavy heart”.   I explained that we would have preferred to maintain our relationship with the Russian Federation in the same way that we welcome the preservation of our relationship with other nations that we have permitted the status of permanent observer at the OAS.

However, as events have evolved by the Russian Federation’s aggression in Ukraine and the subsequent atrocities committed against civilians, including women and children, any choice we might have had in the matter had been removed.

The Charter of the OAS specifically requires strict adherence to four fundamental Principles which are: international law is the standard of conduct of States in their reciprocal relations; international order consists essentially of respect for the personality, sovereignty, and independence of States, and the faithful fulfilment of obligations derived from treaties and other sources of international law; recognition that every State has the right to choose, without external interference, its political, economic, and social system and to organize itself in the way best suited to it, and has the duty to abstain from intervening in the affairs of another State; and condemnation of wars of aggression.  Adherence to these principles is required not only by the OAS member states, but also by the States that have been granted the status of permanent observer.

The Russian Federation, like every other permanent observer, was granted that status in accordance with procedures which were set out by the Permanent Council on 27th June 1984 . That Resolution specifically says at paragraph 6: “That the Permanent Council may review the permanent observer status granted to a State when it considers that the circumstances that determined the acceptance of its request have significantly changed or no longer obtain”.

It is manifestly evident by its aggression against Ukraine, and the events that followed, that the Russian Federation has violated the terms under which its status as a Permanent Observer had been granted.

The integrity of the OAS – and its authority – particularly regarding its adherence to its own rules, required the member states  to send a clear message not only to Russia but to any other powerful state that their contract cannot be broken with impunity.

Beyond these considerations, the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and the violations of international law, required the OAS, as one of the world’s oldest multilateral institutions, to demonstrate its disapproval, particularly as silence would serve to embolden other governments that might harbour ambitions of territorial acquisition and military aggression against neighbouring states.

Twice since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, the OAS formally exhorted Russia to cease hostilities in Ukraine and, instead, to engage in dialogue and diplomacy.  Instead, Russia intensified military action, resulting in huge loss of life, massive destruction, and the dislocation and displacement of millions of people.

There is no doubt that small states deeply sympathize with the people of Ukraine whose country is being torn apart, its people either killed or displaced, its future bleak and unpredictable.  Small states also greatly admire the people of Ukraine for their courage, even as they weep over the destruction of their country.  For, there but for fortune, go small nations.

That is why small nations of CARICOM and Central America could not remain silent or ignore the Russian aggression, and it is why they must raise their voices, now and in the future, against such aggression from wherever it comes.

A difference happened at the OAS on 21 April 2022.   Small states led; raised their voices; and let it be known that they will use their collective soft power to defend and uphold the values and principles that contribute to the security and well-being of their own people.  CARICOM solidarity was the core of that achievement, showing how much more its member states could attain by collective action.

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In Other News

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

 

OECS MSME Guarantee Facility Project

Loan No.: IDA-62670, IDA-62660, IDA-62640, IBRD-88830, IDA-62650

Assignment Title: Senior Operating Officer (SOO)

Reference No. KN-ECPCGC-207852-CS-INDV

 

The Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received financing in the amount of US$10 million equivalent from the World Bank towards the cost of establishing a partial credit guarantee scheme, and they intend to apply part of the proceeds to payments for goods, and consulting services to be procured under this project. 

The consultant will serve as the “Senior Operating Officer (SOO)” for the ECPCGC and should possess extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to Micro, small and medium-sized businesses, knowledge of the internal control processes necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk mitigation procedures. The ideal candidate should possess an Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Accounting, Banking or related field, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in lending, inclusive of MSME lending. The initial employment period will be for two years on a contractual basis. Renewal of the contract will be subject to a performance evaluation at the end of the contractual period. The assignment is expected to begin on September 30th, 2021.  The consultant will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the ECPCGC.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be viewed by following the attached link below. 

 

https://bit.ly/3iVannm

 

The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) now invites eligible “Consultants” to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have:

  • An Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Finance, Banking or related field; and
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in MSME lending. Applicants should also have:
  • The ability to design and implement risk management procedures 
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to small and medium-sized businesses
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME banking operations
  • Knowledge of the internal controls necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk management procedures
  • Experience developing and presenting information in public, including responding to questions in real-time
  • Experience lending to MSMEs located in the ECCU
  • Knowledge of marketing and communicating with the MSME sector
  • Ability to draft procedures to be used in a lending operation
  • Familiarity with the mechanics of a loan guarantee program
  • Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and
  • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite.

The attention of interested Individual Consultants is drawn to Section III, Paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers July 2016, [revised November 2017] (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Approved Selection Method for Individual Consultants set out in the clause 7.34 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. 

 

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0800 to 1700 hours:

Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation

Brid Rock, Basseterre,

St. Kitts.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form by e-mail by August 11th, 2021, to [email protected]. 

 

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Gomez-Trigg                                                            Bernard Thomas

Chief Executive Officer                                                          Chief Financial Officer

Tel: 868-620-8144                                                                  Tel: 869-765-2385

Email: [email protected]                                          [email protected]