Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General candidate Maria Fernanda Espinosa told Sputnik that migration, climate change and security will be among her top priorities if elected to lead the body
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th February, 2020) Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General candidate Maria Fernanda Espinosa told Sputnik that migration, climate change and security will be among her top priorities if elected to lead the body.
"I am proposing ten priorities on the thematic agenda for the OAS. These thematic priorities of course, include the issue of migration," she said. "In terms of the multi-dimensional security agenda, I think we need to strengthen our efforts to address the problem of drugs and related crimes, drug trafficking, trafficking of persons."
Espinosa said climate change, women's rights, equality, human trafficking, cybersecurity and countering illegal mining are also among her top priorities.
The challenge of equality, she added, includes the fight against all forms of violence against women and girls. Espinosa said 70 percent of the victims of human trafficking are women and girls in the hemisphere.
Espinosa said she is proposing to launch a hemispheric alliance to advance implementation of sustainable development goals and boost funding for the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights.
She also said there is a strong need to work on a preventive agenda and early warning systems because the secretary general should be the first one who warns the OAS when there is a potential conflict or a specific situation in member countries.
The election for OAS Secretary General is scheduled to take place on March 20. Espinosa will be facing two candidates - Peru's ambassador to the United States Hugo de Zela and Secretary General Luis Almagro.
