Summits & Presidencies

Great gatherings

The sherpas are going to be busy again this year, especially at the following embassies…Spain holds the EU presidency until July, after which it hands over to the Belgians.

Vietnam assumed the presidency of Asean in January, while Argentina holds the presidency of Mercosur.

Kazakhstan took over the chairmanship of the OSCE in January and Macedonia will burnish its European credentials by taking over the Council of Europe in May.

In June the leaders of the world’s richest nations will gather in Huntsville, Ottawa, Canada for the G8 summit and will be joined by the G20 leaders. In November, Korea will host a second G20 summit in Seoul where the global economic recovery will be analysed in detail.

Japan will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Yokohama – what national dress will the Japanese pick for the leaders this year?

The year ends with a COP16 climate change summit in Cancun, Mexico – can a meaningful political agreement be reached this time around?