US to host 4th QUAD Summit on Sept 21
- This will be the first time Biden will host foreign leaders in Delaware during his presidency, as he has been spending more time in his home state since ending his reelection campaign in July.
Highlights:
- On Thursday, the US announced that President Joe Biden will host the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
- The summit was originally scheduled to be held in India, but the venue was changed, with India now set to host the summit in 2025.
Biden’s Initiative to Host:
- Washington took the lead in hosting the summit after India's initial plans to hold it in January 2024, coinciding with Republic Day, did not materialize. President Biden, in his final months as US President, expressed a desire to host the summit as a "parting gift" before leaving office.
- This led to the decision to swap the hosting duties, with India now preparing to host the summit in 2025.
Attendees and Significance:
- The summit will be attended by key leaders of the Quad nations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan.
- According to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, this will be President Biden's first time hosting foreign leaders in Wilmington as president, underscoring the importance of the Quad partnership to the US and Biden’s personal relationships with each of the Quad leaders.
Focus of the Summit:
- The Biden administration has prioritized strengthening the Quad alliance since the first Quad Leaders Summit at the White House in 2021.
- The upcoming summit will focus on enhancing strategic alignment among the Quad nations and advancing their shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
- Additionally, the leaders will discuss delivering tangible benefits for Indo-Pacific partners in key areas such as security, economic growth, and infrastructure development.
- The summit is expected to reinforce the Quad’s role in promoting stability and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Prelims Takeaways:
- QUAD Summit