JAMAICA has been admitted to the Rio Group, bringing the Latin America and Caribbean region body’s membership to 25.

The Rio Group is an international organisation of Latin American and some Caribbean states created on December 18,1986 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as an alternative body to the Organisation of American States (OAS) during the Cold War.

Rio Group was founded because it was felt the OAS was dominated by the United States.

The Group which started with only six members continues to seek common foreign policy positions. The Rio Group now comprises Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti and Honduras. Others are Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is usually represented by one of its member states.

With Thursday's approval Jamaica now is a full-fledged member like its CARICOM colleagues Belize, Guyana and Haiti.

Accepting the membership approval, Jamaican deputy prime minister and foreign minister Dr Kenneth Baugh said Jamaica fully endorsed the objectives of the Rio Group as a regional mechanism for dialogue and concerted political agreement.

He said Jamaica also shared the commitment of the Rio Group to the preservation of peace, the promotion of democratic values, respect for the rule of law and the fostering of multilateralism.

"The Government of Jamaica certainly recognises the essential and unique role that the Rio Group plays for the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean," Dr Baugh said. "It is one of the most representative groupings of Latin American and Caribbean countries and plays an invaluable role to strengthen the region's international presence, to enhance its influence in multilateral fora and to increase interaction with extra-regional states and group states."

He said Rio Group members had common goals and aspirations.

“So let us work together to ensure a better quality of life for all our peoples and let us leave a legacy of unity and mutual respect of which future generations can be justly proud," said Dr Baugh.

Jamaica hosted meetings of foreign ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean (CALC) on Integration and Development, and the Rio Group from November 4 to November 6 at the Rose Hall Resort and Spa Hotel, Montego Bay.