Integral Development is one of the four pillars of the OAS. The fostering of integral development is among the key priorities of the Organization. The support and growth of initiatives for economic, social and sustainable development are intrinsic to the process of building institutional and human capacity that contribute to integral development and the prosperity of a nation.
The Executive Secretariat for Integral Development (SEDI) has responsibility for supporting and facilitating programs and projects that enhance the development of Member States through collaboration and cooperation.

• Jamaica attaches the greatest of importance to the development agenda of the OAS and particularly to the needs of small states. Over the years, the country has been the beneficiary of many OAS technical assistance projects and programmes and this continues presently.

• Jamaica also attaches great importance to the scholarship and training programmes of the OAS, from which a number of Jamaican nationals have benefited. These include undergraduate and graduate studies as well as professional development courses. It is accepted wisdom that education and training is vital to the development of any nation.

• Jamaica firmly holds the view that development, including the eradication of poverty, must remain a high priority on the OAS agenda. Democracy and economic and social development are inextricably linked – one cannot be sustained without the other.

• The eradication of extreme poverty is an integral part of the hemispheric agenda as it is included in both the essential purposes as well as the principles of the Charter of the OAS.

• To this end, Jamaica supports the Social Charter of the Americas which focuses on actions to eliminate poverty and promote social inclusion and social justice. The Social Charter adopted in 2011 complements the Democratic Charter which was adopted by the OAS in 2001.