Joe Biden kicks off Summit of Americas and calls for unity in region
June 9, 2022, 8:07 am

Joe Biden kicks off Summit of Americas and calls for unity in region

Joe Biden-US President- Official Twitter account

The Anadolu Agency reported that President Joe Biden opened the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday (June 8), calling for unity among the countries of the region despite disagreements.

Biden said: "As we meet again today, in a moment when democracy is under assault around the world, let us unite again and renew our conviction that democracy is not only the defining feature of American histories but the essential ingredient to (the) Americas’ futures."

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the summit, which runs through Friday. Absent from the summit are the leaders of three nations -- Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua -- who were excluded after the Biden administration decided against inviting them.

I’m on my way to Los Angeles to host the Ninth Summit of the Americas. I look forward to working with leaders from across the Western Hemisphere to strengthen our bonds and to address our core challenges — from economic prosperity and climate change to migration and COVID-19.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is one of the leaders that is not attending the summit, sending his minister of foreign affairs on his behalf.

Biden said: "Our region is large and diverse. We don’t always agree on everything, but because we’re democracies, we work through our disagreements with mutual respect and dialogue."

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He said that during the summit, the nations of the Americas have the opportunity to gather around "some bold ideas, ambitious actions" and to show "our people the incredible power of democracies to deliver concrete benefits and make life better for everyone."

The president also highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as saying: “The COVID-19 pandemic hit our region particularly hard. While we account for just 12% of the global population, we experienced more than 40% of reported global pandemic-related deaths.

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He said: "It’s an enormous tragedy that has left too many families grief-stricken."

"And the ensuing economic crisis, triggered by the pandemic, ravaged economies throughout the hemisphere, wiping out much of the hard-earned progress we had made.”

On migration, the president also touched on the migration issue, saying safe and orderly migration is "good for all of our economies, including the United States.”

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He added: "It can be a catalyst for sustainable growth. But unlawful migration is not acceptable. And we will enforce our borders, including through innovative, coordinated action with our regional partners."

Source: aa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”