On his way to the Summit of the Americas, President Barack Obama makes his first Latin American visit when he travels to Mexico this week. Security will likely be the main focus as he meets with counterpart Felipe Calderón, even as Mexico experiences a drop in violence connected to organized crime.
In an article for Diplomatic Courier, COA's Eric Farnsworth writes that leaders gathering at the Summit of the Americas this weekend must focus on common solutions to alleviate regional poverty: "By championing sustainable development, we can stand with the poor and advance a common agenda throughout the hemisphere."
The forthcoming Summit of the Americas will be a chance for the United States to demonstrate its commitment to a common agenda in the Western Hemisphere, writes AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini. Yet concern remains that some leaders will use this spotlight to push their own agendas. (en español)
U.S. President Barack Obama and his hemispheric counterparts must take concrete steps at the Summit of the Americas to head off the global financial crisis. "But they will face an uphill battle," writes AS/COA Director of Public Policy Programs Juan Cruz Díaz.
In an exclusive interview, White House Advisor for the Summit of the Americas Jeffrey Davidow speaks about expectations for April's summit in Port of Spain. The Obama administration will seek to build on the hemisphere’s past decade of accomplishments through a “real focus on exchanging ideas, techniques, and best practices,” said Davidow.
AS/COA hosted a panel discussion on April's Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago. White House Advisor for the Summit of the Americas Jeffrey Davidow and Permanent Representative of Chile to the UN Heraldo Muñoz talked about how the summit can move forward trade, energy, and economic policy while reinvigorating Washington's relationship with the hemisphere.
Diplomatic relations between Bogota and Quito remain distant despite efforts from the international community to mend them. Moreover, criminal and terrorist groups may take advantage of the situation along the border.
