5th Summit of the Americas

{{Infobox summit | summit_name = 5th Summit of the Americas | image = 5th_Summit_of_Americas.jpg | caption = 5th Summit of the Americas logo | country = Trinidad and Tobago | dates = April 17–19, 2009 | venues = [[Hyatt|Hyatt Regency]] Trinidad | cities = [[Port of Spain]] | participants = 33 | follows = [[4th Summit of the Americas]] | precedes = [[6th Summit of the Americas]] | website = http://www.fifthsummitoftheamericas.org/ }}

The '''Fifth Summit of the Americas''' ('''VSOA''') was held at [[Port of Spain]] in [[Trinidad and Tobago]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Previous Summits of the Americas - V Summit of the Americas |url=https://summit-americas.org/sas/Previous_Summits_VSummit.html |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=summit-americas.org}}</ref> on April 17–19, 2009.<ref>[http://www.summit-americas.org/default.htm Summit Americas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090625221903/http://www.summit-americas.org/default.htm |date=2009-06-25 }}: [http://www.summit-americas.org/v_summit.html V summit (5th)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202073335/http://www.summit-americas.org/v_summit.html |date=December 2, 2009 }}</ref>

Organizers planned for the Fifth Summit to focus on a wide-ranging theme: "Securing Our Citizens' Future by Promoting Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability."<ref>[http://fifthsummitoftheamericas.org/ 5th Summit of The Americas] (VSOA)</ref>

==Overview== The [[Summits of the Americas]] are a continuing series of summits bringing together the leaders of [[North America]], [[Central America]], the [[Caribbean]] and [[South America]]. The function of these summits is to foster discussion of a variety of issues affecting the western hemisphere. These high-level summit meetings have been organized by a number of multilateral bodies under the aegis of the [[Organization of American States]]. In the early 1990s, what were formerly ''ad hoc'' summits came to be institutionalized into a regular "Summits of the Americas" conference program.<ref name="twaddle382">Twaddle, Andrew C. (2002). [https://books.google.com/books?id=71x7NlQ_xfgC&dq=summit+of+the+Americas&pg=PA382 ''Health Care Reform Around the World,'' p. 382.]</ref>

* December 9–11, 1994 <ref name="summits">[[Florida International University]], [http://www.americasnet.net/home/about.htm Summit of the Americas Center] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527040557/http://www.americasnet.net/home/about.htm |date=May 27, 2009 }} (SOAC): [http://www.americasnet.net/home/summits.htm Summits list] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427152152/http://www.americasnet.net/home/summits.htm |date=April 27, 2009 }}</ref> -- [[1st Summit of the Americas]] at [[Miami, Florida|Miami]] in the [[United States]].<ref>Summit Americas: [http://www.summit-americas.org/i_summit.html I summit (1st)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612191553/http://www.summit-americas.org/i_summit.html |date=2011-06-12 }}</ref> * December 7–8, 1996 <ref name = "summits"/> -- [[Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development]] at [[Santa Cruz, Bolivia|Santa Cruz de la Sierra]] in [[Bolivia]].<ref>Summit Americas: [http://www.summit-americas.org/summit_sd.html Sustainable development] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902092222/http://www.summit-americas.org/summit_sd.html |date=September 2, 2009 }}</ref> * April 18–19, 1998 <ref name = "summits"/> -- [[2nd Summit of the Americas]] at [[Santiago de Chile|Santiago]] in [[Chile]].<ref>Summit Americas: [http://www.summit-americas.org/ii_summit.html II summit (2nd)]</ref> * April 20–22, 2001 <ref name = "summits"/> -- [[3rd Summit of the Americas]], in [[Quebec City, Quebec|Quebec City]], [[Canada]].<ref>Summit Americas: [http://www.summit-americas.org/iii_summit.html III summit (3rd)]</ref> * January 12–13, 2004 <ref name = "summits"/> -- [[Monterrey Special Summit of the Americas]] at [[Monterrey]] in [[Mexico]].<ref>Summit Americas: [http://www.summit-americas.org/sp_summit.html Special]</ref> * November 4–5, 2005 <ref name = "summits"/> -- [[4th Summit of the Americas]] at [[Mar del Plata]] in [[Argentina]].<ref>Summit Americas: [http://www.summit-americas.org/iv_summit.html IV summit (4th)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612192718/http://www.summit-americas.org/iv_summit.html |date=June 12, 2011 }}</ref>

==Agenda== [[File:Presidentes en V Cumbre Américana.jpg|thumb|right|230px|Group photo of leaders attending Port-of-Spain summit.]] [[File:5th Summit of the Americas leaders photo 19 April 2009.JPG|thumb|right|230px|Partial group photo of leaders at the closing Port-of-Spain summit.]] The host nation's task in organizing the summit programme was a multi-faceted challenge.<ref>Tack, Clint Chan. [http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,95200.html "Summit programme takes shape,"] ''Newsday'' (Trinidad & Tobago). February 15, 2009.</ref>

The top issue at the summit was the current economic crisis, which also encompassed issues of access to increased credit and lending from multilateral banks, sub-regional banks and international development banks. Other issues included promoting human prosperity, energy security and [[environmental sustainability]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090421193841/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/14/content_11008994.htm "Economy will be top issue at 5th Americas Summit,"] Xinhua. March 14, 2009.</ref>

Regional leaders had their first face-to-face meeting with [[United States President]] [[Barack Obama]] at the summit.<ref>Brooks, Lovelette. [http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090322/lead/lead7.html "Summit of the Americas: Carib issues for Obamam"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324032456/http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090322/lead/lead7.html |date=2009-03-24 }} ''Jamaica Gleaner News'' (Kingston). March 22, 2009.</ref>

Venezuela's [[President of Venezuela|President]] [[Hugo Chávez]] used his first meeting with President Obama to argue in favor of lifting the US-led embargo of Cuba. Chávez also used the occasion to publicly present Obama with a copy of [[Eduardo Galeano]]'s 1971 book ''[[Open Veins of Latin America]]''.<ref>[http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=895551&lang=eng_news "Chavez says he'll lobby Obama on Cuba at summit,"] ''Taiwan News.'' March 18, 2009.</ref>

==Security== The host country's Office for Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) planned to ensure that they would be prepared to deal with the consequences of natural or man-made hazards which might impact the delegates during the Summit of the Americas. The Ministry of National Security and OPDM worked together in anticipation of over 4,000 visitors.<ref>Bagoo, Andre. [http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,96823.html "ODPM activates emergency systems for Summit,"] ''Newsday.'' March 17, 2009.</ref>

Other American nations made security forces available during the international event. [[Premier of Bermuda]] [[Ewart Brown]] offered to request 35 soldiers of the [[Bermuda Regiment]] to be sent,<ref>[http://www.royalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d938b33003000f&sectionId=60 Premier discusses world economy with CARICOM heads]{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''[[The Royal Gazette (Bermuda)|The Royal Gazette]]'', March 17, 2009</ref> but the offer was declined as unnecessary.<ref>[http://www.sflcn.com/story.php?id=5926 Bermuda Regiment Deployment not required for upcoming Summit of the Americas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716044246/http://www.sflcn.com/story.php?id=5926 |date=2011-07-16 }}, ''South Florida Caribbean News'', April 20, 2009</ref> In preparation for the summit, the [[Jamaica Defence Force]] (JDF) and the [[Jamaica Constabulary Force]] (JCF) sent 124 officers for a three-week training program in Trinidad. The Jamaican contingent was briefed and given all the necessary resources and equipment, and they were expected to bring back to Jamaica any good ideas and best practices which might be observed during the operation.<ref>[http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20090326T200000-0500_148176_OBS_J_CAN_POLICE__SOLDIERS_TO_PROVIDE_SECURITY_AT_AMERICAS_SUMMIT.asp "J'can police, soldiers to provide security at Americas Summit,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330045545/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20090326T200000-0500_148176_OBS_J_CAN_POLICE__SOLDIERS_TO_PROVIDE_SECURITY_AT_AMERICAS_SUMMIT.asp |date=2009-03-30 }} ''Jamaica Observer'' (Kingston). March 27, 2009.</ref>

==Heads of State and Government== {| class="wikitable" |- |+ '''Summary of Leaders''' ! Flag and Country!!Head of State / Government |- |{{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}}|| align="left"| Prime Minister [[Baldwin Spencer]] |- | {{flag|Argentina}}|| align="left" |President [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner]] |- |{{flag|Bahamas}}|| align="left" |Prime Minister [[Hubert Ingraham]] |- | {{flag|Barbados}}|| align="left"| Prime Minister [[David Thompson (Barbadian politician)|David Thompson]] |- | {{flag|Belize}}|| align="left"| Prime Minister [[Dean Barrow]] |- |{{flag|Bolivia}}|| align="left"| President [[Evo Morales]] |- | {{flag|Brazil}}|| align="left"| President [[Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva]] |- | {{flag|Canada}} || align="left"| Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]] |- | {{flag|Chile}} || align="left"| President [[Michelle Bachelet]] |- | {{flag|Colombia}} ||align="left"| President [[Álvaro Uribe]] |- | {{flag|Costa Rica}} || align="left"| President [[Óscar Arias]] |- | {{flag|Dominica}}|| align="left"| Prime Minister [[Roosevelt Skerrit]] |- | {{flag|Dominican Republic}} || align="left"|President [[Leonel Fernández]] |- |{{flag|Ecuador}} || align="left"|President [[Rafael Correa]] |- | {{flag|El Salvador}} || align="left"| President [[Tony Saca]] |- | {{flag|Grenada}} || align="left"| Prime Minister [[Tillman Thomas]] |- | {{flag|Guatemala}} || align="left"| President [[Álvaro Colom]] |- | {{flag|Guyana}} || align="left"| President [[Bharrat Jagdeo]] |- | {{flag|Haiti}} || align="left"| President [[René Garcia Préval]] |- | {{flag|Honduras}} || align="left"| President [[Manuel Zelaya]] |- | {{flag|Jamaica}} || align="left"| Prime Minister [[Bruce Golding]] |- | {{flag|Mexico}} || align="left"| President [[Felipe Calderón]] |- | {{flag|Nicaragua}} || align="left"| President [[Daniel Ortega]] |- | {{flag|Panama}} || align="left"| President [[Martín Torrijos]] |- | {{flag|Paraguay}} || align="left"| President [[Fernando Lugo]] |- | {{flag|Peru}} || align="left"| President [[Alan García]] |- | {{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}} || align="left"| Prime Minister [[Denzil Douglas]] |- | {{flag|Saint Lucia}} || align="left"| Prime Minister [[Stephenson King]] |- | {{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}} || align="left"| Prime Minister [[Ralph Gonsalves]] |- | {{flag|Suriname}} || align="left"| President [[Ronald Venetiaan]] |- | {{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}} || align="left"| Prime Minister [[Patrick Manning]] |- | {{flag|United States of America}} || align="left"| President [[Barack Obama]] |- | {{flag|Uruguay}} || align="left"| President [[Tabaré Vázquez]] |- | {{flag|Venezuela}} || align="left"| President [[Hugo Chávez]] |}

== Notes == {{reflist|2}}

==References== * Prieto, Alfredo. [http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=7477 "Everybody But Cuba,"]''Havana Times.'' April 15, 2009. *{{cite book|last=Twaddle|first=Andrew C.|year=2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=71x7NlQ_xfgC|title=Health Care Reform Around the World|location=Westport, Connecticut|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing]]|isbn=978-0-86569-288-6|oclc=48132063}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090228225002/http://www.summit-americas.org/ Summits of the Americas] * [http://www.fifthsummitoftheamericas.org/ 5th Summit of The Americas] * Summits of the Americas Follow-up System ([http://www.oas.org/summit/sisca/Home/tabid/692/language/en-US/Default.aspx SISCA]) * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110612204000/http://www.summit-americas.org/sisca.html Follow-up and Implementation of Summits]

{{s-start}} {{s-bef|before= [[4th Summit of the Americas]] }} {{s-ttl|title=[[Summits of the Americas]]|years= '''2009'''<br> '''[[Port of Spain]]'''}} {{s-aft|after= [[6th Summit of the Americas]]}} {{s-end}}

{{Summits of the Americas}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Summit Of The Americas 2009}} [[Category:Organization of American States]] [[Category:Politics of the Americas]] [[Category:Diplomatic conferences in Trinidad and Tobago]] [[Category:21st-century diplomatic conferences]] [[Category:2009 in international relations]] [[Category:2009 in North America]] [[Category:2009 in South America]] [[Category:2009 in Trinidad and Tobago]] [[Category:Port of Spain]] [[Category:21st century in Port of Spain]] [[Category:April 2009 in North America]]