OAN Shannon Kelland
UPDATED 6:24 PM PT – Tuesday, January 10, 2023
President Joe Biden joined Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to address shared challenges. Some of the challenges they addressed included climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and trafficking and smuggling issues. The leaders also promoted their common vision for North America’s success.
The North American Leaders’ Summit (NALS) purpose is to strengthen partnerships and advance shared priorities of the countries.
The three-way gathering is generally held every year with the exception of a hiatus that occurred while Donald Trump was president of the United States. It’s often referred to as the “three amigos summit,” because of the deep diplomatic and economic ties among the countries.
Key points during the summit included how to improve semiconductors and supply the world-wide shortages, expand critical mineral resources, and partnerships with the private sector to increase student development under the new North America Student Mobility Project.
Prior to the meeting of all three countries, Trudeau and Biden met to speak upon unresolved trade issues between their countries. Trade issues dealt with U.S. timber imports from Canada and dairy exported from the United States. The countries’ efforts to support Ukraine was also discussed. Canada announced Tuesday that it would buy an American-made National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS), to be donated to Ukraine.
The Haitian Prime Minister made an urgent appeal on October 7th, for “the immediate deployment of a specialized armed force, in sufficient quantity.” This could help stop the crisis that appeared to be partly caused by “criminal actions of armed gangs.” However, no countries have yet stepped forward to aid the country.
Biden claimed that him and Trudeau are set to discuss “how we can try to help stabilize Haiti.”
Canada and the United States have accused López Obrador of violating a free trade pact. Mexico favored its state-owned power plants instead of ones built by foreign and private investors.
Monday’s meeting between Biden and López Obrador delivered some specific agreements regarding immigration and fentanyl smuggling. The two leaders, spent extra time together upon Biden’s arrival Sunday and later publicly disagreed about the United States’ support for Mexico.
“This is the moment for us to determine to do away with this abandonment, this disdain, and this forgetfulness for Latin America and the Caribbean,” Lopez Obrador said.
Biden introduced a website that would streamline migrants’ access to legal pathways with information they need to legally come to Mexico, the United States and Canada without relying on smugglers.
There were also talks between the two focused on confronting arms and drug trafficking across borders. A dialog would resume to improve cooperation between the three countries against labor and sexual trafficking.
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