ETA–24. Editorial Note
The Articles of Agreement establishing the Inter-American Development Bank were formulated and signed on April 8, 1959, by representatives of the United States and the twenty other American [Typeset Page 66] Republics which were members of the Organization of American States (OAS). For text of the Articles, see United States Treaties and Other International Agreements (UST), volume 10 (part 3), page 3029. The United States became a member of the Bank under authority of the Inter-American Development, Bank Act (Public Law 86–147), approved by Congress on August 7, 1959 (73 State 299), and deposited its instrument of acceptance with the General Secretariat of the OAS on October 14, 1959. On the following day, in circular telegram 486, the Secretary of State instructed all missions in Latin America, if they perceived no objection, to approach the Foreign Office in their respective countries “at the highest appropriate level” calling attention to the United States deposit of instruments, to convey the friendly interest of the United States in the successful realization of the project, and to remind them that the deadline for ratification was December 31, 1959. (398.14/11–1859) The Articles of Agreement entered into force for the United States on December 30, 1959. Subsequently, the Bank held its organization meeting in San Salvador, El Salvador, February 3–16, 1960. Documents pertaining to the meeting and the procedural aspects of initiating the Bank’s operations are located in OAS Files, Lot 60 D 665, and Conference Files, Lot 64 D 559, CF 1590–1591.