Partnership with the OAS, signed at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, foresees the development of projects in research, training, and professional development.

by Adriana Cruz, for the USP Journal

(From left to right) The representative of Brazil to the OAS, Ambassador Benoni Belli; the Secretary-General of the OAS, Luis Almagro; and the rector of USP, Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior – Photo: OAS Disclosure

On November 2nd, USP and the Organization of American States (OAS) signed an academic cooperation agreement in the areas of research, training, and professional development. The document signing ceremony took place at the OAS headquarters in Washington, United States.

Attending the event were the rector of USP, Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior; the Secretary-General of the OAS, Luis Almagro; Brazil’s representative to the OAS, Ambassador Benoni Belli; the Multidimensional Security Secretary of the organization, Ivan Marques; the director of the Institute of International Relations (IRI) at USP, Pedro Dallari; and Professor Paulina Duarte from IRI. The IRI is the teaching and research unit responsible for coordinating the agreement within USP.

“The academia plays a fundamental role in society’s development, and we are committed to strengthening our collaboration. USP holds a prominent position among the best academic institutions in Latin America. Its academic excellence and commitment, not only to scientific advancement but also to its community, are admirable. We take very seriously the commitment to have a greater number of Brazilians in the Organization of American States, and today we are making progress in that,” said Almagro.

The OAS Secretary-General stated that the program will create channels for “cooperation in the prevention, investigation, and punishment of transnational crime” and emphasized that “such a relevant initiative achieves its best results when supported as offered by the University of São Paulo.”

“The agreement with the OAS, with the collaboration of the Brazilian mission in the organization, will allow us to have students participating in activities in this important entity and to carry out specific programs with universities and other institutions throughout the Americas. The rectorial management has as one of its objectives to strengthen relationships with Universities in Latin America, in addition to those we have with those in North America,” emphasized the rector of USP.

The director of IRI explained that “the agreement provides for the possibility of its supplementation through additional agreements, aimed at the development of specific projects, under the responsibility of USP units and OAS departments. Based on the relationship that has been maintained over the years, the areas in which there should initially be the formalization of additional agreements comprise public security, electoral observation, and peaceful conflict resolution.”

The director of IRI, Pedro Dallari (left), handed over to the traditional OAS Library, founded in 1890, the collection of books from the José Bonifácio Chair at USP – Photo: Disclosure

The partnership between USP and the OAS dates back to 2008 when specific collaboration activities began to be developed. For instance, in 2017, the first in-person Police Training Course of the Inter-American Network for Police Development and Professionalization (REDPPOL) was conducted. This course was developed and taught by USP in partnership with the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Georgetown University (USA), and the federal police forces of Brazil, Mexico, and Honduras. Structured as an extension program, the course was promoted by the Department of Public Security (DSP) of the organization. In 2019, USP and the OAS signed an agreement to establish the Electoral Observatory of Brazil.

At the OAS headquarters, the director of IRI also presented the collection of books from the José Bonifácio Chair at USP to the traditional organization’s Library, founded in 1890, coordinated by Dallari.

Also on the same day, the rector and professors from IRI were received at the Embassy of Brazil in the United States, where they met with Ambassador Maria Luiza Viotti, Minister Counselor Marcos Henrique Sperandio, and other diplomats. According to Carlotti, during the meeting, joint actions were discussed for contacts with the American government in the areas of energy transition and semiconductors.

The rector of USP (left) and the ambassador of Brazil to the United States, Maria Luiza Viotti – Photo: Disclosure