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Skriven 2005-11-05 23:33:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0511053) for Sat, 2005 Nov 5
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Fact Sheet: Accomplishments at the Fourth Summit of the Americas
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 5, 2005

Fact Sheet: Accomplishments at the Fourth Summit of the Americas




"I've always felt that good foreign policy starts in your neighborhood. So
this trip is a continuation of the United States working with different
countries, and me working with leaders to have a good relationship in the
neighborhood. I remember the first Summit of the Americas I went to, which
was in Canada. And in the opening comments, it struck me that it's an
amazing neighborhood when . . . every country is a democracy except for
one."

President George W. Bush
November 1, 2005, Press Roundtable, Washington, D.C.

  þ At the Fourth Summit of the Americas, President Bush joined the other
    33 democratically elected leaders of the Western Hemisphere in
    addressing common 21st Century challenges. In particular, the leaders
    focused on:

      þ Creating decent job opportunities, especially for the region's
        poor;
      þ Creating conditions to achieve sustained economic growth through
        greater trade and development;
      þ Fighting poverty; and
      þ Strengthening democratic governance and institutions.

  þ The President encouraged his fellow leaders to make the strategic leap
    from commitment to achievement, and emphasized that words must lead to
    tangible results.

  þ President Bush and the United States will continue to lead and work for
    greater prosperity, security, and opportunity for the people of this
    hemisphere. At the Summit the President specifically raised the
    following programs for the hemisphere:

Infrastructure Facility Of The Americas: President Bush made available
funds to launch a new institution to assess infrastructure project
proposals from private and public sponsors. The Facility will promote
high-return, job-creating projects by providing assessments and advice on:
(1) engineering feasibility; (2) economic feasibility; (3) financial
structure; and (4) public concession tendering, legal matters, and
implementation.

United States and Uruguay Sign Bilateral Investment Treaty: The agreement
demonstrates U.S. commitment to create new economic opportunities together
with those countries in the hemisphere that are willing to help themselves
by implementing sound economic policies. The United States is Uruguay's
largest trading partner, and the stock of U.S. foreign direct investment in
Uruguay was $533 million in 2004.

Central American and Caribbean Fund: The U.S. Overseas Private Investment
Corporation (OPIC) will invite proposals from qualified private sector fund
managers to organize a Central America and Caribbean Fund that could reach
$135 million. The Fund will invest predominately in companies operating in
the following countries: Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent _

Opportunity Zones: President Bush urged Heads of State to join him in
developing Opportunity Zones in five to be identified countries. These
programs through public and private cooperatives, encourage new business
ownership opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged citizens.

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Reform: The President called for the
shareholders of the IDB to implement measures that will better employ the
bank's assets, encourage accountability and performance, and address the
debt sustainability of the poorest countries in the region, including
through grants and debt relief.

Private Sector Disaster Relief: The President announced that three
distinguished private sector leaders -- Steven S Reinemund, Robert W. Lane
and Maria Elena Lagomasino -- have agreed to launch a nationwide effort to
encourage private donations for relief and reconstruction in response to
the three recent hurricanes that struck Central America.

Protecting Children: President Bush announced strong American support for a
significantly expanded effort over the next four years in Latin America and
the Caribbean to remove children from exploitative work and provide them
with educational opportunities. In support of the above goals, the United
States Department of Labor has committed $16 million to continue and expand
our fight against the worst forms of child labor in the Americas.

Commerce, Industry And Economy Ministerial On Competitiveness: President
Bush recommended that the OAS convene the first ever joint Commerce,
Industry and Economy Ministerial to bring high-level officials together to
focus on competitiveness. This unprecedented meeting will identify concrete
actions that governments may take alone, or in concert, to enhance the
region's ability to compete more successfully in the global marketplace.

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