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      "date": "2009-04-29",
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      "title": "Fifth Summit of the Americas, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 2009: Background, Expectations, and Results",
      "summary": "The fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago was held April 17-19, 2009. It was the first hemispheric forum for President Barack Obama to engage with leaders from across Latin America and the Caribbean. The Port of Spain Summit was also the first meeting of all 34 democratic heads of government from Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada, and the United States since the contentious 2005 Summit in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Despite some criticism of past and current U.S. policies in the region, the Summit was largely cordial and may provide the foundation for improved hemispheric relations.  \nThere have now been five Summits of the Americas, two Special Summits of the Americas, and a number of ministerial-level summits held since 1994. Previous Summits led to a number of successful initiatives in the region, including the creation of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, reductions in the cost of remittance transfers, and increased provision of anti-retroviral therapy to victims of HIV/AIDS. Despite these accomplishments, some observers have criticized the Summits of the Americas as lacking transparency, being ineffective, or failing to advance U.S. interests.\nThe theme for the Port of Spain Summit was, \u201cSecuring our citizens\u2019 future by promoting human prosperity, energy security, and environmental sustainability.\u201d Given the confrontational nature of the previous Summit and the actions of some regional leaders prior to their arrival in Port of Spain, many observers had low expectations for the Summit. Other analysts were optimistic about the possibility of improving hemispheric relations given President Obama\u2019s popularity in the region. \nDisagreements over Cuba\u2019s reintegration into the Inter-American System and other issues such as the global financial crisis prevented the Summit from producing a unanimous Declaration of Commitment, though a somewhat vague document was adopted as the consensus thought of the countries of the region. While the Summit Declaration introduced few concrete initiatives, President Obama offered several proposals, including an \u201cEnergy and Climate Partnership of the Americas\u201d and a \u201cMicrofinance Growth Fund for the Western Hemisphere.\u201d President Obama received a warm reception from the leaders of the region, leading some analysts to assert the most significant result of the Port of Spain Summit may be an improvement in U.S. relations with the rest of the hemisphere.\nOn March 31, 2009, the Senate approved S.Res. 90 (Kerry) expressing support for the fifth Summit of the Americas and calling on the United States to reinvigorate and strengthen its engagement with the hemisphere, especially concerning the financial crisis, energy security, and public safety. The resolution also declared that the United States was prepared to work with the rest of the region to advance an agenda of human prosperity, implement a regional energy strategy, encourage the participation of non governmental organizations in the Summit process, and strengthen the Summit follow-up mechanisms.\nThis report will not be updated.",
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      "retrieved": "2012-04-27T15:49:45",
      "title": "Fifth Summit of the Americas, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 2009: Background, Agenda, and Expectations",
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      "id": "R40074_2008Dec17",
      "date": "2008-12-17",
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