U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks Receives COA Chairman's Award

At the opening reception for the 38th Washington Conference on the Americas, the Council honored U.S. Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) with the Chairman's Award for Leadership in the Americas. Upon presenting the award to Meeks, COA Chairman William Rhodes recognized the congressman as a recipient who "richly deserved it" for his work toward implementing U.S.-Latin American bilateral trade agreements.

During his acceptance speech, Meeks examined the challenge to globalization in the Americas—the focus of the 2008 conference. With fears in the United States over an economic downturn, "trade is an easy topic to blame," said Meeks. "The anti-NAFTA rhetoric is producing a resurgence of protectionist sentiment rather than a productive dialogue on the actual role of trade."

The congressman urged trade liberalization advocates to add more voices "to the chorus singing the praises of global trade" by explaining the immediate and longterm gains offered through globalization. He warned that Americans will remain divided on trade without efforts to improve trade agreements with labor rights, environmental protection, and trade adjustment measures.

Meeks touched on the pending U.S.-Colombia free-trade agreement (FTA). He referred to a recent article written by COA President Susan Segal in support of the pact. "I'm here to tell each and every one of you that she is absolutely right: Colombia does deserve an FTA."

The representative also stressed the "common destiny" shared by all people living in the Western Hemisphere and the positive nature of growing interdependence. "We can make sure that those on the bottom rise to the top and those on the top continue to prosper; all can benefit from this great global trade," concluded Meeks.

The Council gives the Chairman's Award for Leadership in the Americas—the highest honor the Council can bestow—to a democratically-elected leader with a record of significant achievement in hemispheric affairs. Previous recipients include OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza; former U.S. Senator Robert Graham (D-FL); Congressmen David Dreier (R-CA), Kevin Brady (R-TX), and Jim Moran (D-VA); and former IDB President Enrique Iglesias.

For nearly four decades, the Washington Conference on the Americas has provided the top forum for government, industry, and policy leaders to engage in substantive analysis on timely themes affecting the Western Hemisphere.