US officials dismiss criticism that they have pulled punches on human rights or democratic backsliding, but say they are aware of “legitimate criticism” directed at the administration over the issue.
A senior Biden administration official said, “I will defend the fact that human rights come to the fore in every bilateral relationship we have.”
Initially conceived as an in-person gathering, the first summit was held virtually due to Covid-19. The second summit was delayed by several months and will now also be mostly online.
A civil society activist involved in organizing the summit said on condition of anonymity that because of the virtual format it makes sense that the summit has been de-prioritised, leading to bold reforms for the participants. Increasing has become difficult.
This year’s summit will be co-hosted by the United States, Costa Rica, Zambia, the Netherlands and South Korea, an arrangement that US officials say will encourage countries to become more involved in the process.
