Its four pillars include:
- Stability and assistance for communities, including $314 million in U.S. funding to help refugees and migrants across the Western Hemisphere.
- Expansion of legal pathways, such as the development of a $65 million U.S. Department of Agriculture program to support U.S. farmers hiring H-2A program agricultural workers.
- Humane migration management, including disrupting human smuggling networks.
- Coordinated emergency response for both natural disasters and pandemics.
“Our common humanity demands that we care for our neighbors by working together,” said Biden June 10 after the declaration was announced.
Agreements made on multiple fronts
The Biden administration announced major initiatives to spur green energy growth and tackle the climate crisis. The U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 is a commitment to work on climate adaptation and clean energy programs across the Caribbean region. The United States is also joining 15 other countries that have signed on to the Renewable Energy in Latin America and the Caribbean initiative to reach 70% renewable energy in the Western Hemisphere’s electricity sector by 2030.
To address present and future health responses, Biden announced an “Action Plan on Health and Resilience in the Americas” to help partner nations prevent, prepare for and respond to future pandemic threats and other public health emergencies. The plan will also expand the delivery of public health services to remote, vulnerable and marginalized populations through a new initiative called Americas Health Corps.
To spur economic growth with partner nations, Vice President Harris announced more than $1.9 billion in new private sector commitments to creating economic opportunity in northern Central America. This more than doubles the initial private sector investments in response to her 2021 Call to Action.
The U.S. government also supports independent journalists and promotes freedom of information around the world. The U.S. Department of State announced $30 million in funding to the International Fund for Public Interest Media to assist media in resource-poor and unstable settings, and $5 million to improve the financial viability of independent media outlets.
At the summit, Secretary of State Antony Blinken also launched the first hub of the Digital Communication Network of the Americas, a network of journalists, civil society and government officials who collectively can address and counter state-sponsored propaganda and disinformation.
“Our nations are committed to working in partnership,” Biden said. “And our region is forever knit together by the close bonds of family and enduring friendship.”