The Justice Studies Center of the Americas (CEJA) held a meeting with representatives of the Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy of the Organization of American States (OAS) to explore potential areas of cooperation in electoral justice, subnational governments, and peace promotion.
From the OAS, Juan Pablo Pozo and Natalia Melgarejo participated on behalf of the Secretariat. CEJA was represented by Bruno Novoa, Chair of the Board of Directors; Nataly Ponce, Executive Director; Nicolás Soler, Board Member; and Javiera Domange, Researcher.
During the meeting, CEJA presented its key strategic areas of work, highlighting two main lines of collaboration: the development of studies and research on judicial reform, institutional modernization, and access to justice—particularly in democratic contexts—and training and virtual education through CEJACampus, focused on electoral justice, local governance, and conflict resolution.
The Secretariat shared its work structure, organized in three main areas:
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Electoral observation missions, with growing interest in jurisdictional issues.
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Missions for democratic sustainability.
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The Directorate for Peace Promotion and Coordination with Subnational Governments, led by Juan Pablo Pozo.
As a result of the meeting, the following potential joint actions were identified:
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Technical and educational support for the creation of the Peace Observatory, projected for the second half of 2025.
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Joint development of training programs on electoral justice, based on the newly published manual by the Secretariat.
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A comparative study on access to justice within the framework of subnational governments and their democratic institutions.
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Support for dialogue and capacity-building processes with local authorities, with an emphasis on conflict prevention and strengthening local governance.
Final agreements include:
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Coordinating a technical meeting to define concrete actions on prioritized topics.
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Organizing an inaugural panel as part of the Peace and Democracy Conference Series hosted by the Secretariat.
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Receiving a concept note from the OAS to align goals and formally initiate the joint work.
This meeting follows the mandate of OAS General Assembly Resolution AG/RES. 3029, which calls for a Collaborative Roadmap between CEJA and the OAS, aiming to increase CEJA’s visibility and promote joint efforts with other OAS bodies.
This articulation reaffirms CEJA’s commitment to building strong, transparent, and accessible institutions in Latin America and highlights the value of inter-American cooperation and regional partnerships.