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WASHINGTON, D.C., October 23 2025 — By Times Caribbean Newsroom

In a moment of immense national pride, Her Excellency Jacinth Henry-Martin, Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS), has been awarded the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB) Medal, one of the hemisphere’s most distinguished symbols of service to peace, cooperation, and security.

The honor—approved by the IADB Council on September 30 and formally conferred on October 21—recognizes selected individuals who have advanced trust, mutual understanding, and defense collaboration among the armed forces and governments of the Americas.

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A Career Rooted in Diplomacy and Security Cooperation

Ambassador Henry-Martin has long been a leading Caribbean voice on hemispheric security and humanitarian governance. Serving as Chair of the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security (2024–2025), she led initiatives to deepen dialogue between military institutions and civil authorities, strengthen human-rights-based defense policy, and enhance disaster-response coordination across small states.

“As immediate past Chair … I remain steadfast in advancing dialogue, technical cooperation, and hemispheric governance that uphold human dignity, human rights, and international humanitarian law—values essential to the security and peace of our region,”
said Ambassador Henry-Martin upon receiving the medal.

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Shared Recognition Across the Hemisphere

The Ambassador noted she was doubly honoured to be acknowledged alongside Ambassador Ana Irene Delgado of Panama, the current Chair of the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security (2025–2026). Their joint recognition underscores the OAS’s emphasis on female leadership in defense and peacebuilding diplomacy, still a rarity in the region’s traditionally male-dominated security sector.

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Significance of the IADB Medal

The Inter-American Defense Board, established in 1942, is the oldest permanent regional defense organization in the world. The medal—bestowed sparingly—commends civilian or military leaders whose work strengthens inter-American solidarity and defense-sector professionalism. Past honorees have included defense ministers, senior OAS officials, and career diplomats whose efforts bridge the gap between national security and human security.

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Regional Impact and National Prestige

For St. Kitts and Nevis, Henry-Martin’s decoration enhances the federation’s reputation as a principled advocate for peaceful diplomacy, rule of law, and multilateral cooperation despite its small geographic size. Her achievement adds to a distinguished diplomatic résumé that includes service as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and High Commissioner to Canada.

As the Caribbean faces complex transnational threats—from climate-driven instability to cyber-crime and migration—Ambassador Henry-Martin’s leadership at the hemispheric level highlights how even the smallest nations can shape the architecture of regional security and cooperation through diplomacy grounded in ethics and empathy.

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Times Caribbean extends congratulations to Ambassador Henry-Martin for her outstanding service and for bringing further honour to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis on the global diplomatic stage

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