CAA 2019 Spring Conference in Washington, DC

The Council of American Ambassadors hosts its annual Spring Conference in Washington, DC. The theme of this conference: Contentious Neighbors.

On May 6-7, 2019, the Council of American Ambassadors hosted its annual Spring Conference in Washington, DC. This year's conference theme was "Contentious Neighbors." Guest speakers discussed the contemporary implications of historically complicated relationships including power dynamics in the Middle East, sovereignty issues in East Asia, territory seizure in Eastern Europe and border tensions in the Americas. Countries in discussion included:

• the United States and Mexico, presented by former Ambassador of Mexico Arturo Sarukhan;

• Venezuela and Colombia presented by former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs Dr. Arturo Valenzuela;

• Ukraine and Russia presented by Atlantic Council Senior Fellow Dr. Anders Aslund;

• and Iran and Saudi Arabia (among other pressing issues regarding U.S. policy in the Middle East) presented by Dr. Aaron David Miller, a distinguished scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, the Philippines and Bangladesh Harry K. Thomas, Jr. concluded the Spring Conference with a global tour d-horizon on Wednesday. 

Select presentations will be available soon on the Council's new podcast, American Ambassadors Events. American Ambassadors Events gives public access to audio recordings of CAA events exclusive to members of the Council. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook at @AmerAmbassadors or sign up for American Ambassadors Weekly to be notified when we release these podcast episodes.