Seventh Summit of the Americas: In Brief (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
March 24, 2015 |
| Report Number |
R43952 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Peter J. Meyer, Analyst in Latin American Affairs |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
On April 10-11, 2015, President Obama is scheduled to attend the seventh Summit of the Americas in Panama City, Panama. The Summits of the Americas, which have been held roughly every three years since 1994, serve as opportunities for the Western Hemisphere's leaders to engage directly with one another and discuss issues of collective concern. With Cuba expected to attend for the first time in 2015, the Summit of the Americas will be the only forum in the hemisphere that includes all 35 independent nations. The theme of the 2015 summit is "Prosperity with Equity: The Challenge of Cooperation in the Americas." Although strengthening economic growth while reducing inequality will be one of the principal topics of conversation, the leaders of the hemisphere are also expected to discuss a variety of other issues, including education, health, energy, the environment, migration, security, citizen participation, and democratic governance.
This will be President Obama's third and final Summit of the Americas and could set the tone for hemispheric relations for the final two years of his Administration. While most leaders warmly welcomed President Obama at the 2009 summit, where he introduced his approach to the region, the 2012 summit proved to be more divisive. Many Latin American leaders criticized U.S. policy toward Cuba and U.S. counternarcotics efforts in the region, and some leaders chose not to attend. Some analysts assert that President Obama's recent policy shifts on Cuba and migration issues could pave the way for a more cordial 2015 Summit of the Americas and closer hemispheric cooperation. Nevertheless, some Latin American leaders may use the 2015 summit to condemn the ongoing U.S. embargo on Cuba and recent U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan officials. This could distract from efforts to forge more constructive relations.
Members of Congress traditionally have expressed considerable support for the Summits of the Americas. A resolution introduced in March 2015 (H.Res. 160, Castro), for example, welcomes the seventh Summit of the Americas and states that it will be an important forum for the United States to advance its interests in the region and for the leaders of the Western Hemisphere to work collaboratively to address common policy issues. As in previous years, numerous Members of Congress are expected to attend the summit. President Obama could call upon Congress to approve policy changes and/or appropriate resources relating to proposals he makes at the summit; the Administration already has requested $2 million in foreign assistance to support initiatives stemming from U.S. participation in the 2015 summit.
