The Opportunity Summit

By Thomas A. Shannon,
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs

The accomplishments of the Western Hemisphere over the last twenty-five years -- democracy, open markets and personal freedom – present critical lessons for the rest of the world.  The transformational choices that Latin American countries have made show that difficult, but necessary, societal changes can be made peacefully and effectively.  This important hemispheric transformation has created greater opportunities for our neighbors today and a brighter future for their children tomorrow.  

As President Bush and Secretary Rice travel to Mar del Plata, Argentina to participate in the fourth Summit of the Americas, they come with a two-fold agenda.  First, they will work with their fellow leaders to expand opportunity and improve the lives of all our citizens.  Second, they will herald the hemisphere’s success story of building democracies and expanding economic opportunity as a model for other regions grappling with these challenges.

These Summits are important because they provide opportunities for our leaders to come together to solve problems.  For example, leaders at the last Summit set a goal of treating with retroviral therapy by 2005 over 600,000 people in the region living with HIV/AIDS. With strong support from President Bush, this goal has been met and surpassed: today 640,000 people have benefited from this particular Summit mandate.

At this fourth Summit, President Bush and his team will focus on expanding opportunity by creating more and better jobs, strengthening democracy, and fighting poverty. Breaking down trade barriers is an essential part of expanding prosperity and opportunity for all. We have already implemented NAFTA and the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement and we hope to implement CAFTA-DR early next year.  We will continue to push for free trade agreements across the hemisphere. 

The U.S. will continue to support reforms that cut the time and cost of starting a business in the region.  This will promote entrepreneurship and economic competitiveness.  To ensure that hard-earned money gets to the families that need it, we will continue to work to reduce the cost of sending remittances.  Summit leaders agreed to create the conditions to reduce, by at least half, the cost of remittances by 2008.  According to the Multilateral Investment Fund, the costs of sending remittances fell from 12% in 2003 to approximately 8% in 2004.

Our collective security is another issue President Bush will address at the Summit.  September 11 underscored the threat terrorism poses to our open societies.  The United States looks forward to concrete follow up and implementation of the Declaration on Security in the Americas adopted in October 2003.  The United States will also work to carry out other commitments made during the Summit process that provide a practical guide for progress and peace in the hemisphere.

President Bush and Secretary of State Rice will join their colleagues across the hemisphere to continue to promote democracy and deepen prosperity with open, trade oriented economies.  We have made great progress, but more needs to be done.  The Summit offers a golden opportunity to reaffirm our hemisphere’s commitment to democratic and economic transformation, and to deliver the benefits of that transformation to the peoples of the Americas. 

Fact Sheet

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
October 26, 2005

What is the Summit of the Americas?

The Summit of the Americas brings together the Western Hemisphere's 34 democratically elected leaders to address common political, economic, and social challenges. Beginning with the first Summit, held in Miami in 1994, these events have advanced a shared, multilateral agenda for improving democracy, human rights, and free markets in the region. The Inter-American Democratic Charter is a fruit of this process.

The Upcoming Summit

The Fourth Summit of the Americas takes place in Mar del Plata, Argentina, from November 4-5, 2005. Its theme, chosen by the Argentine government as host, is "Creating Jobs to Fight Poverty and Strengthen Democratic Governance." Summits are held every 2 to 3 years.

Summit Process

Summits generate concrete, measurable commitments by the region's governments.

For example, the 2004 Special Summit set a goal of treating 600,000 people living with HIV/AIDS with anti-retroviral drugs by November 2005. Helped by $237 million from the U.S., this goal will be met and exceeded, with 640,000 already receiving treatment. Creating, implementing, and following up on Summit mandates involves an array of activities that extend well beyond the actual Summit event. Ministerial meetings, civil society forums, and diplomatic negotiations all play vital roles.

-- Government Ministries such as Education, Labor, Health, and Agriculture are holding meetings of their highest officials this year. These ministerial meetings use their particular expertise to guide the Summit. The Education Ministerial, for example, took place in Port of Spain, Tobago August 10-12, 2005, to discuss ways to improve education quality, equity, and efficiency -- all vital elements for job creation.

-- Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are a growing part of the Summit process. For example, 40 CSO representatives from the Caribbean met in Bridgetown, Barbados, July 21-22, 2005, to make Summit recommendations. Hundreds of CSOs from throughout the hemisphere are taking part in other Summit-related activities.

-- The Organization of American States (OAS) coordinates the sessions where diplomats negotiate the Summit's Declaration and Plan of Action. The OAS Summit Secretariat also monitors fulfillment of mandates from previous Summits.