Obama to Participate in Summit of Americas in Panama - White House

According to a White House statement, US President Barack Obama will participate in the upcoming Summit of the Americas along with 34 other leaders.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US President Barack Obama will take part in the Summit of the Americas (SOA) scheduled for April 10-11 in Panama, the White House stated in a statement on Wednesday.

"The President will then travel to Panama where he will participate with 34 other leaders in the Seventh Summit of the Americas," the White House said.

While in Panama, Obama will hold a bilateral meeting with his Panamanian counterpart Juan Carlos Varela.

Prior to his trip to Panama, Obama will travel to Jamaica on April 8, where he will meet with Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller and with the leaders of the CARICOM (Caribbean Community), according to the statement.

Cuba is expected to participate in the Summit of the Americas this year for the first time. In December, Obama said that the United States will welcome Cuba at the gathering.

Cuba had been previously excluded from the Summit, which became a sore point in US relations with Latin America. At the Sixth Summit in 2012, Latin American leaders criticized US policy towards Cuba and demanded that Cuba participate in the meeting in 2015.

Obama announced at the end of 2014 his new policy to normalize relations Havana, which includes easing travel and trade restrictions as well as reopening a US embassy in Cuba.