Cartagena, Colombia, is ready to host the 6th summit of the Americas that will gather 33 heads of state, including President Obama, on the 14 and 15 of April, 2012. The five topics on the agenda cover a wide range of regional interests from security issues to efforts on poverty reduction. However, different participating countries will bring their own topics to the table that could potentially overshadow the official agenda.
It is certain that several countries, including Colombia, will be discussing the future of the anti-drug policies imposed by 
Washington forty years ago. No one expects any definite results in this area, but with the support of countries like Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala, as well as the the strong interest in the discussions of Mexico and drug producing countries, the discussions promise to be fruitful in advancing some possible scenarios.
This hemispheric event is a great opportunity for the host, President Juan Manuel Santos, to show that Colombia has not only come a long way in facing the extraordinary challenges of the last few decades but with a robust economy, it is well positioned to face the future head to head with the leading countries in Latin America.
In the end, the summit will be a reminder of the power and maturity that this block of American nations and their 900 million people represent in the world arena.
Written by Mayra Taylor