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Through active advocacy, COA plays a leading role in supporting trade expansion in the Americas and provides testimony to Congress on investment, energy, immigration, and democracy issues.

To learn more about COA's advocacy efforts, click here.

Newsletters

AS/COA provides up-to-date analysis through News & Views, the monthly policy e-newsletter, and the Weekly Roundup, a summary of the latest news stories covering the Americas.

Click here to sign up for these free newsletters.

New and Old Challenges to Follow Dominican Election
President Leonel Fernández Reyna, credited with turning his country's economy around in the past four years, is expected to win a May 16 reelection bid. Fernández's administration would face a set of challenges in a new term, ranging from food price inflation to a remittance slowdown to persistent social inequality.

News of the Americas

Defying the Downturn

Following the release of first quarter indicators and news of record FDI rates, several Latin American countries showed capacity to weather global economic volatility. But analysts warn of slower growth in the coming year.

Washington Conference

38th Washington Conference: "The Globalization of the Americas"

The Council of the Americas held the 38th Annual Washington Conference on the Americas on May 6 and 7, drawing together a selection of the region's most influential officials—including the presidents of the United States and Panama—to address the most pressing policy issues affecting the Western Hemisphere. Read more and access program summaries, as well as audio, from the conference.

Research & Analysis

Audio: Santiago's Children Book Launch

At a book launch for Steven Reifeinberg’s Santiago’s Children, AS/COA's Chris Sabatini, Miami Herald's Pablo Bachelet, NYU's Patricio Navia, and Reifenberg analyzed Chile from the brutal military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet to current opportunities. Listen to an audio podcast of the panel discussion.

Improved Infrastructure: Latin America's Gateway to Global Markets

FedEx Express' Juan Cento warns that the while Latin America has experience its highest economic growth rates since the late 1970s, poor transportation infrastructure and regulatory barriers "undermine the region's competitive strengths." He suggests the development of public and private sector partnerships to boost regional infrastructure.

Guatemala on the Brink

President Álvaro Colom of Guatemala meets with his U.S. counterpart this week. The Central American leader hopes to decrease Guatemalan poverty, despite the challenge of global economic insecurity. "With decisive action, and international assistance," writes COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth, "the new president has the opportunity to regenerate a broader growth agenda."

Back to Basics

Universal welfare programs are returning to the social policy mix in the hemisphere. By their very nature, limited social assistance policies have limited impact, writes José Antonio Ocampo. Read the full text of the article in the Spring 2008 issue of Americas Quarterly, released April 24.