Guyana’s Riyad Insanally elected IACHR commissioner

Guyana’s Riyad Insanally has been elected as a commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) following a vote by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS).

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In announcing the decision, the IACHR welcomed Insanally and wished him success in his new role. His term will run through December 31, 2027.

Insanally brings more than 31 years of experience in multilateral diplomacy to the commission. He studied Modern Languages and Latin American Studies and holds MA and MPhil degrees from the University of Cambridge, as well as a PhD from Harvard University.

From 2016 to 2021, Insanally served as Guyana’s eighth ambassador to the United States and fourth permanent representative to the OAS. He was also Guyana’s nonresident ambassador-designate to Mexico. During his tenure in Washington, DC, he held several senior leadership roles within the OAS and the wider inter-American system, including chair of the Permanent Council, the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, and the CARICOM Group of Ambassadors.

Most recently, Insanally served as head of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission for Saint Lucia’s general elections, held on December 1, 2025.

In recognition of his diplomatic service, Insanally received Guyana’s third-highest national honour, the Cacique’s Crown of Honour (CCH), during the 2019 National Honours, awarded for “long and distinguished service in the field of diplomacy and international relations.”

His candidacy was presented by the State of Guyana following the resignation of Dr Arif Bulkan, who stepped down during his first term as an IACHR commissioner after being appointed a judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the OAS, with its mandate grounded in the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights across the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS. The commission comprises seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly, who serve in their personal capacities and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

Insanally has also served as a senior fellow with the Caribbean Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center and is widely regarded as one of Guyana’s most experienced career diplomats.