What You Need to Know about the Ninth Summit of the Americas

At the 2018 Lima Summit, Western Hemisphere governments accepted an offer from then-Vice President Mike Pence for the United States to serve as the host of the Ninth Summit of the Americas. In January, the White House announced that Los Angeles will host the summit in June 2022.

As host, the United States will determine which leaders receive invitations. In addition to regional leaders, heads of multilateral institutions and extra-regional observers, along with private-sector and civil society stakeholders, will take part in summit-related activities.

Previous summits have launched initiatives on trade, democracy, environment, education, and anti-corruption efforts, as well as stimulating cooperation across a broad range of economic and social fronts. The White House announced in January that the summit will focus on the theme, “Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future,” under four priority areas detailed in an October 2021 concept paper: health, recovery, and resilience; our green future; equitable growth and prosperity; and strong and inclusive democracies.

Since the Eighth Summit of the Americas held in Lima in 2018, National Summit Coordinators designated by each country have met regularly to discuss implementation of initiatives and plan for the Ninth Summit, with the Organization of American States serving as technical secretariat. They are supported by the Joint Summit Working Group, composed of 13 regional and international multilateral organizations. Peru handed over the chairmanship of the summit process to the United States in 2020.

The private sector provides input into the summit process through the Americas Business Dialogue for which the Inter-American Development Bank serves as technical secretariat. Working groups develop policy and project recommendations on issues such as trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, human resources, technology, agriculture, and health. The working groups are open to any regional company that would like to participate.

Since the 2012 Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, private sector leaders have met at a CEO Summit in advance of the meeting of government leaders, with the goal of providing input and encouraging public-private collaboration and partnerships.

Council of the Americas has been an integral part of the Summits of the Americas since 1994.

More recently, in 2020, at the request of the U.S. Department of State, the Council joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in submitting a paper offering U.S.-based private sector input into the Ninth Summit of the Americas. Along with papers from the Joint Summit Working Group and U.S.-based civil society organizations, the Council’s paper was submitted to National Summit Coordinators for review.

In collaboration with the State Department Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Council will host the 52nd Washington Conference on the Americas in May 2022, focusing on preparations for the Ninth Summit of the Americas.

Council experts have produced regular analyses in advance of the Summit, and the Spring 2022 issue of Americas Quarterly will focus on the Ninth Summit of the Americas. Read more:

• A Digital Economy of the Americas, Morning Consult, co-authored by Steve Liston
• LatAm in Focus: What the Summit of the Americas Was, Is, and Could Be — Interview with Eric Farnsworth about the VIII Summit in Lima
• COA Statement: Trade and Investment Belong at the Center of the IX Summit of the Americas
• Explainer: What Is the Summit of the Americas?

The U.S. Government has created a website for the summit with additional information on summit planning.

In addition, we will be updating this webpage as new information becomes available. Bookmark the link or check back at as-coa.org/ixsummit.