41st AnnuAl WAshington ConferenCe on the AmeriCAs

opportunitiesin a Changing Americas

Council of the Americas held its annual Washington Conference on the Americas on May 10 and 11, hosting presidents, ministers, secretaries, and other top officials from across the hemisphere. With a focus on a new era in the Americas, speakers stressed ways to deepen ties. “For our security and strategic interests, we have to design an architecture of cooperation, and we are looking more and more to increasingly capable partners in the hemisphere,” said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, one of the first speakers of the day. President of Mexico Felipe Calderón, who delivered closing remarks at the conference, discussed integration in North America and across the hemisphere, saying: “The closer we are, the more competitive we will be, and the faster we will grow.”

MAy 10-11, 2011

May 10–11, 2011

US Department of State

Washington, D.C.

www.as-coa.org

Opportunities in a Changing Americas

41ST ANNUAL WASHINGTON CONFERENCE ON THE AMERICAS In Brief

(L to R) President of El Salvador Mauricio Funes addresses the audience; President of Mexico Felipe Calderón delivers the keynote speech during the conference luncheon; U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gives an overview of hemispheric relations.

Keynote SpeakersArturo Valenzuela, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State

Ken Salazar, U.S. Secretary of the Interior

Mauricio Funes, President of El Salvador

James Flaherty, Minister of Finance, Canada

“The Western Hemisphere has seen such tremendous progress and it is due to effective, thoughtful leadership,” Secretary Clinton said.

“We need to makesure we expand our tradingopportunities,” stated the minister, who spoke aboutthe recent elections in Canada, Canada’s economy, and trade.

Conference EventsTuesday, May 10, 2011

Inter-american development BankOpening Reception

Presentation of the 2011 Chairman’s Award for Leadership in the Americas to

U.S. Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) and U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Wednesday, May 11, 2011u.s. department of state

Regional diplomacy - The u.s. ViewSecretary Hillary Clinton and

Assistant Secretary Arturo Valenzuela

Toward a safer, More secure energy FutureSecretary Ken Salazar

el salvador’s MomentPresident Mauricio Funes

The Recent election and the Road aheadMinister James Flaherty

a Conversation on the americasSenator John McCain

Colombia’s Path to GrowthMinister Juan Carlos Echeverry

Keynote LuncheonPresident Felipe Calderón Hinojosa

Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of Mexico“There is still much to be done in Mexico in order to reach our growth potential,” but the focus on health, education, housing, and public services is making us “a predominantly middle class nation.”

John McCain, U.S. Senator

“It’s very important that wehave a schedule to get [thePanama and Colombia tradeagreements] done,” the senator said.

The assistant secretary noted that innovative approaches have led to the embrace of democracy and the countries of the Americas being more integrated than ever, “creating incentives for cooperation.”

The secretary outlinedthe three drivers of the Obamaadministration’s energy policy:to produce more oil and gas, toincrease the use of alternativeenergy, and to encouragegreater energy efficiency.

The president emphasized that there is no greater priority for his government than “peace, security, and dignity.”

For more information on the conferencevisit our website:

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Juan Carlos Echeverry, Minister of Finance and Public Credit, Colombia

The minister expressed confidence in the approval of the U.S.-Colombia free-trade agreement this year and said, “There is a very bright future for [Colombia].”

Council of the americas is the premier international business organization whose members share a common commitment to economic and social development, open markets, the rule of law, and democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere. The Council’s membership consists of leading international companies representing a broad spectrum of sectors, including banking and finance, consulting services, consumer products, energy and mining, manufacturing, media, technology, and transportation.

Council of the Americas

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Conference Highlights(1) Secretary Clinton addresses the conference; (2) Inter-American Development Bank’s President Luis Alberto Moreno gives remarks at the opening reception; (3) Ali Moshiri of Chevron and President Calderón; (4) Senators Lugar and Menendez receive the 2011 Chairman’s Award for Leadership in the Americas; (5) COA President and CEO Susan Segal makes comments at the conference; (6) Ambassador of Brazil Mauro Vieira at the opening reception; (7) President Calderón delivers the keynote luncheon speech; (8) Minister Echeverry meets with AES’s Andres Gluski, GE’s Reinaldo Garcia, and Ford’s Eduardo Serrano; (9) Ford’s Michael Sheridan greets Minister Flaherty; (10) AES’s Carla Tully, COA’s Nicole Spencer, and IDB’s Leandro Alves speak at a panel on renewable energy before the conference.

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(11) Ambassador John Negroponte interviews Senator McCain; (12) Ambassador of Spain Jorge Dezcallar talks with IDB’s Luis Alberto Moreno at the opening reception; (13) luncheon for COA board at IDB; (14) President Calderón greets President Funes; (15) Ambassador Ted Briggs, Citigroup’s Alexander Van Tienhoven, and Chevron’s Ali Moshiri at the State Department; (16) Nelson Cunningham of McLarty Associates, COA’s Chris Sabatini, and Renate Rennie of Tinker Foundation at the opening reception; (17) Miriam Sapiro from the Office of the United States Trade Representative and COA’s Eric Farnsworth; (18) Foreign Minister Hugo Martínez of El Salvador and Diana Negroponte at the conference luncheon.All photos by Jorge Merino, Arlette Pedraglio, and Pamela Risdon.

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