Contributions from Carin Zissis
Addressing attendees at the COA's Washington Conference of the Americas, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings discussed the importance of educational exchange between the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere, saying that the more governments and higher education institutions work together to foster exchange, “the better prepared we will all be to respond to the challenges of our changing world.”
Panama's president described how Latin America finds itself at an intersection between sustainable prosperity and challenges such as the global food crisis. Highlighting the Panama Canal expansion project as an opportunity for national dialogue, Torrijos voiced support for open markets and democracy.
President George W. Bush, speaking at the COA’s annual Washington Conference on the Americas, delivered a major policy speech on the U.S. role in the Western Hemisphere. “The foundation of a good foreign policy is good relations with your neighbors,” said the president, outlining priorities issues for U.S.-Latin American relations.