PREVIEW - US To Host Summit Of Americas June 6-10, Hold Talks On Array Of Hemisphere's Issues

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2022) The United States from June 6-10 will host the ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, where leaders from around the hemisphere will gather to discuss an array of issues.

The focus of the summit will be on developing a sustainable, resilient and equitable future for the Western hemisphere, the US State Department said. The summit will be the first hosted by the US since the inaugural meeting in Miami in 1994.

The summit will address challenges including economic prosperity, climate change, migration and the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the White House. US President Joe Biden will attend the event on June 8 alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the White House added.

At the end of April, US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols said that Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela were unlikely to participate in the upcoming summit. The presidents of Mexico and Bolivia opposed such a decision and said they would not attend the summit if not all countries in the region received invitations.

The US is currently engaged in discussions with Mexico about their request to allow Cuba to participate in the summit, according to White House Latin America adviser Juan Gonzalez. The US has also said that they will not invite Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to attend.

Biden alongside other leaders will sign a migration declaration during the summit to send a strong signal of unity on the issue, Gonzalez also said.

Biden while at the summit will also meet with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to discuss bilateral and global issues, Gonzalez said. The leaders in their first meeting with one another are expected to discuss food insecurity, economic recovery, and climate change among other issues.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will attend the summit as well. Trudeau and Defense Minister Anita Anand will also visit the joint North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) facility in Colorado on his way to the summit, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will also attend the summit for talks on climate change and environmental protection. Joly on Friday also said that she will hold bilateral talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the summit's sidelines.