Trinidad and Tobago’s Permanent Mission to The OAS Marks The Election of Trinidadian as IADB’s First Director-General

Washington D.C.: Brigadier General Ancil Antoine, Chief of Defense Staff of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force, assumed the position of Director-General of the Inter-American Defense Board on July 18, 2006.

The Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) is an international committee of nationally appointed defense officials, who develop collaborative approaches to common defense and security issues facing the Americas. The IADB provides technical advice and services to the OAS of which Trinidad and Tobago is a Member State. The Board is headquartered in Washington D.C.

Brigadier General Antoine’s election to the post on June 22, 2006 was a historic moment for Trinidad and Tobago and the entire English-speaking Caribbean region’s relationship with the IADB, as he became the first ever individual to be elected to the position. Brigadier General Jorge Armando de Almeida Ribeiro of Brazil was elected as Chairman.

Brigadier Antoine’s appointment also signifies a major achievement for Trinidad and Tobago’s Permanent Mission to the OAS and the country’s delegation to the IADB, in particular. The delegation of Trinidad and Tobago to the IADB has been recognized by the delegations of Central America and CARICOM, as well as those of Canada and the USA, as being a valuable contributor to major recent developments in the IADB, including the establishment of the IADB as an entity of the OAS, thereby ensuring that the Board takes into account the needs of smaller Member States in meeting its mandates.

The election of Brigadier General Antoine to lead the IADB is testimony to the indelible mark which Trinidad and Tobago has made in its role as Chair of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE). It is also recognition of the success of Trinidad and Tobago’s diplomatic initiatives and effective representation at several international bodies.

At a meeting of the Permanent Council of the OAS yesterday (July 21), Her Excellency Marina Valere, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ambassador to Washington D.C. and Permanent Representative to the OAS, took the opportunity to congratulate both Brigadier General Antoine and Brigadier General Jorge Armando de Almeida Ribeiro when she said –

“Today’s transfer of the Presidency of the Inter-American Defense Board is yet another auspicious moment for the IADB, the most recent Entity of the Organization of American States following the decision adopted at the 32nd Special Session of the General Assembly on March 15th this year.

On behalf of my delegation, I wish to congratulate Brigadier General Jorge Armando of Brazil on his election to the position of Chairman of the IADB and to Trinidad and Tobago’s very own Brigadier General Ancil Antoine who was elected as its first-ever Director-General.”

Ambassador Valere also added that -

“The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is steadfast in its commitment to upholding the principles of the new Statutes of the IADB and given the challenges faced by smaller countries such as ourselves in addressing traditional and new threats, we applaud the IADB’s commitment to take into account the needs of the smaller states and recognition of the increased level of vulnerability when faced with such threats.”

Brigadier General Antoine is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and holds a Masters in Military Arts and Sciences from the United States Command and General Staff College in Kansas. He has been decorated with the General Service Medal, the Efficiency Decoration, the Efficiency Medal and the US Medal of Achievement.

In photo – Her Excellency Marina Valere, Trinidad and Tobago’s Ambassador to Washington D.C and Permanent Representative to the OAS displays a commemorative plaque which was presented to her at the Embassy by Brigadier General Ancil Antoine (also in photo).