Chairman's Introduction

GREETINGS FROM THE CHAIRMAN

OF THE INTER-AMERICAN DEFENSE BOARD

Sixty four years after the creation of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB), the Organization of American States (OAS), at its 32^nd Special General Assembly held on March 15, 2006, approved the new Statutes of the IADB making it one the entities of the OAS. With that act, the process led by the Secretary General of the OAS, Ambassador José Miguel Insulza, by the Chairman of the Committee on Hemispheric Security, Ambassador Esteban Tomic and by the then Chairman of the IADB, General Keith Huber, U.S. Army, comes to a successful conclusion.

The Statutes approved by the OAS establishes that the purpose of the IADB is to provide the OAS and its member states technical, consultative and educational advisory services in military and defense issues in the hemisphere, in order to contribute to the Charter of the OAS.

The new Statutes also determines that the structure and operations of the IADB are inspired on the principles of supervision and subordination of military institutions to civil authority and in the democratic values expressed in the Inter-American Democratic Charter. Faithful to that spirit, on June 22, 2006, the Board held its first election for the Office of the Chairman, and it is my honor to have been elected to this important mission as a representative of Brazil, beginning a new chapter in the history of the IADB, following the successful 64 year leadership by the United States to this position.

Currently, the IADB has a valuable heritage of important services provided towards hemispheric cooperation and security through the humanitarian demining mission, the confidence building measures among armed forces and natural disaster relief. Through the Inter-American Defense College (IADC) the Board contributes in the training of civilians and military officers to occupy high public offices in their countries through a one year course in which they study the different government models, the structure and functioning of the Inter-American System and they analyze and debate a wide array of security and defense issues that are of interest to governance in the region and in the world.

In 1942 the world was suffering the vicissitudes of World War II. At the threshold of the 21^st century, the planet is undergoing deep transformations that impact all sectors and require from institutions awareness, adaptability and determination to reach effectiveness in this new environment. This is the challenge before the Inter-American Defense Board: modernize so it can always contribute within the scope of attributions and in accordance with the guidance of the Permanent Council of the OAS, for peace, development and security for the nations of our hemisphere.

We thank you for your interest in the Inter-American Defense Board and for visiting our web page. Please send us your comments so we may improve our work. And, should you need any additional information, do not hesitate to contact us we will be honored to respond.

REAR ADMIRAL ELIS TREIDLER ÖBERG

Chairman of the Inter-American Defense Board



Welcome About Us Programs College Multimedia Links	About Us: Overview \| Contact Us \| Greetings \| International Staff \| Job Openings \| Security and Privacy Information \| History Greetings: Chairman's Introduction \| Chairman's Biography Chairman's Introduction GREETINGS FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INTER-AMERICAN DEFENSE BOARD Sixty four years after the creation of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB), the Organization of American States (OAS), at its 32^nd Special General Assembly held on March 15, 2006, approved the new Statutes of the IADB making it one the entities of the OAS. With that act, the process led by the Secretary General of the OAS, Ambassador José Miguel Insulza, by the Chairman of the Committee on Hemispheric Security, Ambassador Esteban Tomic and by the then Chairman of the IADB, General Keith Huber, U.S. Army, comes to a successful conclusion. The Statutes approved by the OAS establishes that the purpose of the IADB is to provide the OAS and its member states technical, consultative and educational advisory services in military and defense issues in the hemisphere, in order to contribute to the Charter of the OAS. The new Statutes also determines that the structure and operations of the IADB are inspired on the principles of supervision and subordination of military institutions to civil authority and in the democratic values expressed in the Inter-American Democratic Charter. Faithful to that spirit, on June 22, 2006, the Board held its first election for the Office of the Chairman, and it is my honor to have been elected to this important mission as a representative of Brazil, beginning a new chapter in the history of the IADB, following the successful 64 year leadership by the United States to this position. Currently, the IADB has a valuable heritage of important services provided towards hemispheric cooperation and security through the humanitarian demining mission, the confidence building measures among armed forces and natural disaster relief. Through the Inter-American Defense College (IADC) the Board contributes in the training of civilians and military officers to occupy high public offices in their countries through a one year course in which they study the different government models, the structure and functioning of the Inter-American System and they analyze and debate a wide array of security and defense issues that are of interest to governance in the region and in the world. In 1942 the world was suffering the vicissitudes of World War II. At the threshold of the 21^st century, the planet is undergoing deep transformations that impact all sectors and require from institutions awareness, adaptability and determination to reach effectiveness in this new environment. This is the challenge before the Inter-American Defense Board: modernize so it can always contribute within the scope of attributions and in accordance with the guidance of the Permanent Council of the OAS, for peace, development and security for the nations of our hemisphere. We thank you for your interest in the Inter-American Defense Board and for visiting our web page. Please send us your comments so we may improve our work. And, should you need any additional information, do not hesitate to contact us we will be honored to respond. REAR ADMIRAL ELIS TREIDLER ÖBERG Chairman of the Inter-American Defense Board Inter-American Defense Board \| 2600 NW 16th Street Washington, D.C. 20441 \| 202.939.6041