The Organization
of American States
The world's oldest regional organization, uniting 34 nations across the Western Hemisphere in pursuit of democracy, human rights, economic development, and lasting peace.
What Is the OAS?
The Organization of American States is the principal political, juridical, and social forum for the nations of the Western Hemisphere. It brings together every independent state in the Americas to advance shared goals, build cooperation across borders, and address the most pressing challenges facing the region.
Headquartered in Washington D.C., the OAS was formally established on April 30, 1948, when 21 nations signed its founding Charter in Bogota, Colombia. The roots of that gathering go back even further, to 1890, when 18 countries convened in Washington to create the International Union of American Republics — the earliest predecessor to today's organization.
Today, the OAS operates as the hemisphere's leading forum for dialogue, with official languages in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French — reflecting the extraordinary diversity of cultures, traditions, and peoples that define the Americas.
Four Pillars of Regional Cooperation
The OAS organizes its work around four interconnected areas that together address the full scope of challenges facing the Western Hemisphere.
Democracy
The OAS has deployed election observation missions to more than 200 elections across 30 countries since 1962, supporting free and fair processes and helping member states build durable democratic institutions. It acts when constitutional order is disrupted and works continuously to strengthen local governance frameworks, political participation, and the institutions that underpin civic life.
Human Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, created in 1959, provides a continental mechanism for documenting violations, supporting victims, and advancing accountability. Working alongside the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, it has become one of the most effective regional human rights systems in the world — setting standards that influence national law across the hemisphere.
Security
From border dispute mediation to counter-narcotics cooperation, from landmine removal to cybersecurity programs, the OAS addresses the full spectrum of security challenges facing the Americas. It was the first regional organization to permit suspension of members whose democratically elected governments are removed by force — a precedent that reshaped hemispheric security norms.
Development
Through the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, the OAS channels technical assistance, policy guidance, and cooperative programs toward the reduction of poverty, the promotion of sustainable economic growth, and the expansion of opportunity across member states. It works closely with the Inter-American Development Bank and other multilateral partners to mobilize resources and build capacity.
From Pan American Vision to Continental Institution
The OAS did not emerge overnight. It grew from more than a century of hemispheric cooperation, shaped by conflict, diplomacy, and a shared recognition that the nations of the Americas share a common destiny.
The Bolivarian Vision
Simon Bolivar convened the Congress of Panama, proposing a federation of American states — the earliest articulation of a collective hemispheric identity. The idea was ahead of its time, but it planted a seed that would take more than a century to fully bloom.
The Pan American Union
Eighteen nations gathered in Washington D.C. to form the International Union of American Republics, establishing a permanent secretariat to facilitate the exchange of commercial information. April 14, 1890 is recognized as the founding date of what would become the OAS.
The OAS Charter Signed
On April 30, 1948, twenty-one nations signed the OAS Charter in Bogota, Colombia, formally establishing the Organization of American States. The same conference produced the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man — the world's first international human rights instrument.
Human Rights Commission
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights was established, creating a permanent body to receive complaints, investigate violations, and advocate for victims across the hemisphere. It became a critical voice during the authoritarian periods that followed in several member states.
Full Hemispheric Coverage
Canada joined the OAS in 1990, completing the organization's hemispheric membership. By this point, the Caribbean nations had long since joined, and the OAS had grown from its original 21 members into a truly continental institution.
34 Nations, One Hemisphere
Today, the OAS unites 34 member states across North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean. It continues to evolve — addressing climate change, digital rights, migration, and economic inequality alongside its founding commitments to democracy, human rights, and security.
What the OAS Has Accomplished
Seven decades of work across the hemisphere have produced tangible results in the lives of millions of people.
Electoral missions in more than 30 countries since 1962, deploying thousands of international observers to protect the integrity of democratic processes.
International election observers trained and deployed across the Americas, forming one of the world's most experienced electoral observation networks.
Nations outside the Americas that hold permanent observer status, reflecting the OAS's global relevance and the international interest in hemispheric affairs.
English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French — the OAS communicates in all four languages of the Americas, honoring the full breadth of the hemisphere's heritage.
Resources channeled annually into democratic governance, human rights advocacy, security cooperation, and sustainable development programs across 34 member states.
The OAS has operated without interruption since 1948, navigating the Cold War, the transition to democracy across Latin America, and the complex challenges of the 21st century.
ATH and the OAS Vision
The Americas Trading Hub was built on a premise that the OAS has championed for more than seventy years: that the nations of the Western Hemisphere have more to gain through cooperation than competition. When the OAS speaks of sustainable development and regional integration, ATH provides a practical vehicle to advance those goals.
ATH connects businesses, professionals, and organizations across all 35 independent nations of the hemisphere — the same nations the OAS was designed to serve. Where the OAS establishes the legal and political framework for hemispheric cooperation, ATH builds the commercial relationships, trade networks, and economic partnerships that give that framework its practical meaning.
Together, institutions like the OAS and platforms like ATH reflect a broader understanding: that peace, democracy, and human rights are not abstract ideals but practical conditions that make trade, investment, and shared prosperity possible. Every business deal across a border is, in its own way, an act of hemispheric solidarity.
35 Nations, One Hemisphere
ATH operates across every one of the OAS's independent member states, turning the political vision of hemispheric unity into an economic reality.
Economic Development
Both the OAS and ATH recognize that sustainable development requires active engagement at the business and institutional level, not just policy agreement between governments.
Democracy and Trade
Open markets and democratic governance reinforce each other. ATH's commitment to transparent, rules-based trade is inseparable from the democratic values the OAS defends.
Regional Solidarity
From Canada to Patagonia, from the Pacific to the Caribbean, ATH members share the belief that continental connection creates opportunities that no single nation could generate alone.
Where the OAS Operates
The OAS divides its work across four geographic sub-regions, each with distinct priorities, histories, and opportunities.
North America
Canada, the United States, and Mexico form the economic core of the OAS system. NAFTA and its successor agreement demonstrated what is possible when these three economies act together — and the OAS provides the broader multilateral context within which that cooperation sits.
Central America
Seven nations with deep historical ties and significant development needs. The OAS has played a role in peace processes in the region and continues to support democratic consolidation, governance reform, and economic integration.
South America
Twelve nations representing extraordinary natural resources, diverse economies, and immense potential. From the agricultural breadth of Brazil to the mineral wealth of Chile and Peru, South America is central to any serious discussion of hemispheric economic development.
The Caribbean
More than a dozen island nations whose strategic location, cultural heritage, and economic challenges are unique within the hemisphere. The OAS has consistently advocated for Caribbean priorities — including climate resilience and access to development finance — to receive greater hemispheric attention.
Become Part of the Continental Story
ATH connects businesses, professionals, and organizations across all 35 independent nations of the Americas. Join a network that turns the vision of hemispheric cooperation into something concrete.