ASSISTANT Secretary-General to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Ambassador Nestor Mendez, has pledged continued support in providing training, grants and scholarships to Guyana.

Mendez on Thursday night made a presentation outlining the role of the organisation in global development at the Education Lecture Theatre at the University of Guyana.

He told the gathering that he was there to talk about the part that doesn’t make the news, since the OAS is required to fulfil its mandate to its member states, noting that the organisation was much more since it was one of the oldest multilateral institutions in the world.

Mendez in his spritely presentation said that the OAS operates under four pillars and he spent some time detailing each on Thursday night.

He stated that the four pillars under which the OAS operated were the promotion of democracy, the promotion of human rights, multi-dimensional security and integral development.

Mendez told the group that the OAS had 34 member states and they often come together to discuss problems facing each member state.

He noted that the OAS responded to the needs of its member states in an effort to fulfil its mandate and they are also pushing ahead with cross-cutting issues in youth empowerment, since the OAS believes in preparing young people to think a certain way.

Mendez pointed out that they were also championing the cause of vulnerable groups such as indigenous peoples and people of African descent.

The assistant secretary-general of OAS also spoke of the institution’s pace to connect with its member states and to understand the challenges faced and to address same, since they were putting mechanisms in place for water-resource management.

Mendez urged those present to look at what the OAS was doing and to look at opportunities to go overseas to study and to network with other young people across the hemisphere.

He said that the OAS will continue to provide training, grants and scholarships to the people of Guyana and lend support where necessary to foster the development of this country.

Meanwhile, in remarks, Professor Leyland Lucas, Dean of the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation at the University of Guyana, said that the OAS was one of the oldest regional bodies and it was an organisation that has withstood the test of time and it was growing.

He related that he was however thankful for the continued support given by the OAS to Guyana in our border challenge with Venezuela and also its efforts in our sustainable tourism goals.

Lucas added that OAS has been at the forefront in regional development and is dealing with issues of human rights in this hemisphere.

He told the gathering that what comes out of the OAS is a unified message through dialogue. He added that even though we are separated by language and location, the organisation would continue to grow and play a dominant role.