Washington D.C., April 8, 2025 — Ambassador Jacinth Henry-Martin, Permanent Representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the Organization of American States (OAS) and Chair of the Committee on Hemispheric Security, recently participated in the 2025 Latin America Defense and Security Fair (LAAD), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ambassador Henry-Martin was a key member of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) delegation, which also included representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, the United States, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. The composition of the delegation underscored the inclusive and integrative nature of the
IADB, highlighting the growing importance of diverse representation in shaping the hemispheric security agenda.
In addition to being a premier exhibition of defense technologies, LAAD Defense & Security has evolved into a critical platform for strategic dialogue and regional diplomacy. The active engagement of the IADB, alongside official delegations from across the Americas and beyond, affirmed the event’s role as a space for geopolitical discourse and the cultivation of strategic alliances.
A key highlight of the visit was the commemoration of the 83rd anniversary of the historic Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics in Brazil in 1942. Ambassador Henry-Martin delivered remarks during the commemorative event, held in hybrid format under the theme “Building Confidence and Strengthening Multilateralism in the Americas.” Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, she noted, “This theme resonates with the enduring values that have long underpinned our regional cooperation.”
She further emphasized the OAS’s leadership in addressing contemporary security challenges through inclusive collaboration. “The OAS has been at the forefront of addressing these challenges by fostering collaborative partnerships, facilitating training programs, promoting information exchanges, and developing robust legal frameworks aimed at sustaining peace and security in the region,” Ambassador Henry-Martin stated. “Sustaining a robust joint approach calls for continued commitment to deepening our multilateral engagement. Initiatives such as the OAS List of Confidence and Security Building Measures (CSBMs) offer a valuable roadmap for addressing emerging threats, concerns, and challenges to hemispheric security.”
In its coverage of LAAD 2025, the Brazil based Defesa Em Foco highlighted the participation of Ambassador Henry-Martin and General Telbert Benjamin of Antigua and Barbuda in both bilateral and multisectoral meetings with representatives from the defense industry and various national delegations. These meetings underscored the importance of forging strong diplomatic and security ties through sustained dialogue.
Events such as LAAD offer an unparalleled opportunity to build trust among nations, enhance joint operational capabilities, and promote a unified vision of defense and security across Latin America and the Caribbean. Within this context, the role of the Inter-American Defense Board remains indispensable in fostering open, technical, and continuous dialogue among the region’s armed forces and strategic actors.
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