In a new article for Poder magazine, COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth examines proposals by U.S. presidential candidates to create a body of democratic nations, saying, "If carefully constructed, this may be an idea whose time has come." He recommends that past examples be taken into account to avoid the mistakes and build on the successes of predecessors.

AS/COA Director of Public Policy Programs Juan Cruz Diaz draws on his experience at the 2005 Mar del Plata Summit to look ahead to next year’s meeting of regional leaders, outlining steps that should be taken for a successful summit.

In recent weeks, Ottawa proved its growing clout in Latin America through a visit from Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, the approval of a trade pact with Peru, and completion of free-trade negotiations with Colombia. 

Leaders from the European Union and Latin America gathered in Lima for a biennial summit, focusing on trade, inequality, and climate change as rising food prices threaten to exacerbate poverty. 

In an AS/COA Online interview, OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza describes the role of the agency in negotiating recent border tensions between Ecuador and Colombia, autonomy and recall votes in Bolivia, and U.S.-Cuba relations. "[T]he OAS has to prove itself as the main forum for political dialogue in the Americas," said Insulza.

Speaking at the 38th Washington Conference on the Americas, IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn called for increased private and public investment and greater productivity as key factors for sustaining recent economic growth. A rebalancing of China’s exchange rate and policies to reduce the growth in food prices will be some of the next challenges facing the region and the world.

As the Western Hemisphere experiences the consequences of rising food prices, experts and leaders seek to identify the crisis' source as well as solutions. A debate over biofuels has emerged with the food price hikes.