OAS: New Secretary General caught between political polarisation and financial hardship

On 10 March 2025, Albert Ramdin, Foreign Minister of Suriname, was elected as the new Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS). His election marks the first time that a representative of the Caribbean states has held this office, which is considered a historic step for the OAS. Until now, the Caribbean was unable to assert itself among the politically much stronger states of the mainland with its candidate proposals. Ramdin will take over from Uruguay's Luis Almagro on 25 May 2025 and will hold the office until 2030. With a view to his upcoming term of office, three points are likely to become more relevant: Firstly, dealing with the ideological dichotomy between a left-wing and a market-liberal camp within the OAS; secondly, stabilising the organisation's finances; and thirdly, focusing more attention on the Caribbean.