The Haitian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on June 27 that attorneys Vogly Pongnon and Lise Helda Christelle St-Natus Cavé have been elected to high-level posts within the Organization of American States (OAS), marking a diplomatic win for Haiti’s transitional government.
Pongnon was elected to serve as a member of the Inter-American Juridical Committee for the 2026–2028 term, while Cavé earned a seat on the Justice Studies Center of the Americas (CEJA) for the 2026–2029 term. The elections took place during the 55th Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly held in Saint John, Antigua and Barbuda.
The Inter-American Juridical Committee, established in 1948 and based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a consultative body of the OAS tasked with promoting the development and codification of international law across the Americas. CEJA, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Santiago, Chile, focuses on modernizing and strengthening justice systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. Cavé’s election marks a historic milestone as she becomes the first Haitian citizen to join CEJA.
The Ministry emphasized that the appointments reflect Haiti’s ongoing efforts during the political Transition period to reassert its role on the international stage by showcasing national expertise in global institutions. “These elections are part of a deliberate foreign policy strategy to reinforce Haiti’s presence in multilateral arenas,” the statement said.
Both lawyers are expected to bring valuable legal insight and regional perspective to their respective posts, advancing Haiti’s contributions to hemispheric legal and judicial reform.
