B’nai B’rith International President Robert Spitzer and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith International is deeply troubled by the announcement that the X Summit of the Americas, originally scheduled to take place Dec. 4–5 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, has been postponed.

The Summit, established 30 years ago under the U.S. President Bill Clinton administration, has served as a vital platform for dialogue among leaders of the Western Hemisphere. This marks the first time in its history that the gathering has been postponed.

Given the current regional climate—marked by growing political divisions, economic instability, and urgent challenges such as illegal migration, organized crime, and climate change—there is little reason to believe that conditions will improve in the coming year. The postponement raises serious concerns that the Summit may not be held at all. In recent years, participation and consensus at the Summit have waned, with several governments declining to attend and leaders unable to reach common declarations. Political divisions over which nations should be invited, coupled with uncertainty around key heads of states’ participation, have further strained the Summit’s purpose and weakened confidence in the Organization of American States’ ability to deliver results.

The recent CELAC–EU Summit in Colombia highlighted the challenges facing regional multilateralism. With few presidents attending and no significant agreements reached, CELAC—intended to unite the Americas without the U.S. and Canada—continues to struggle to produce meaningful outcomes.

The postponement decision underscores the decline of multilateral engagement in the Americas and the urgent need for renewed regional cooperation. Dialogue, partnership and shared responsibility remain essential to addressing the hemisphere’s most pressing challenges.

B’nai B’rith urges leaders throughout the Americas to recommit to constructive engagement and ensure that opportunities for collaboration are not lost. The postponement of the Summit of the Americas serves as a reminder that if multilateralism in the region is to survive, governments must rebuild trust and cooperation around tangible solutions for their people rather than symbolic gatherings or empty declarations.