Later this month, President Barack Obama will travel to Trinidad and Tobago to meet his colleagues from across the Western Hemisphere at the Summit of the Americas.

In advance of that historic meeting, I am travelling to Central and South America to consult with Latin American leaders gathered in Chile and Costa Rica about the summit and the challenges faced by the people of the Americas.

The president and I understand that only by working together can our countries overcome the challenges we face. Today, we are more than just independent nations who happen to be on the same side of the globe. In today's interconnected world, we are all neighbours who face many common concerns.

The current global economic crisis has touched virtually all of us - every country, every community, every family. Citizens everywhere are searching for answers, looking for hope - and turning to their leaders to provide them. It is our duty as global partners to heed their calls, to forge together a shared solution to a common problem.

Taking steps

The Obama administration is taking several steps to make this happen. The US Congress has approved the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is designed to promote job creation in the US and to set a course for growth for the next generation.

The president has proposed a national budget designed to set a foundation for the economy of the future, with important investments in health care, education, and energy, all areas that may have positive windfall effects for the hemisphere.

Rekindling the US economy and ensuring that international financial institutions serve the interests of the people are two issues of particular importance for the Americas. Our economic interconnection means that a robust US economy is good for the hemisphere and can become an engine for bottom-up economic growth and equality throughout the region.

However, the economy isn't the only challenge requiring our co-operation. We also face dual challenges of security - protection of our countries and protection for the individuals who inhabit them. Our countries are plagued by gang violence and the illegal trafficking of weapons and narcotics.

In the US, we need to do more to reduce demand for illicit drugs and stem the flow of weapons and bulk cash across our borders. We applaud Mexico's courageous stand against violent drug cartels, as well as Colombia's anti-drug efforts, but we know that they will have the side effect of pushing traffickers into the Caribbean or Central America. The drug trade is a problem we all share and one whose ultimate solution we must devise together.

Animate democracy

Consistent with the Inter-American Democratic Charter, we must also focus on building, encouraging, and maintaining strong democracies, where basic fairness, social equality, and a deep respect for human rights and the rule of law are the guiding principles of everything we do.

Democracy is about more than elections; it's about strong, transparent governance and a thriving civil society. It is also about addressing as effectively as possible the challenges of poverty, inequality and social exclusion.

We recognise that the US is still striving to meet its constitutional goal of forming a "more perfect union" and that we have, in the past, fallen short of our own ideals. But we pledge every day to honour the values that animate our democracy, and to lead by example.

This article was submitted by the US Embassy's Office of Public Affairs in Kingston.