United States President Barack Obama officially confirmed his presence at the Summit of the Americas, to be held in Colombia next month.
Obama discussed his attendance in a brief telephone call with Juan Manuel Santos Monday, according to a Colombian presidential press release.
The two plan to hold a bilateral talk on the last day of the summit, in which 34 heads of state from South, Central and North America will gather in Cartagena on April 9 to 15.
The U.S. has agreed to discuss the issue of drug legalization in a multilateral setting for the first time at the event, though has made clear its position firmly against any legalization still stands.
Other high profile conference attendees include Microsoft founder Bill Gates, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Mexican mogul Carlos Slim, and World Bank President Robert Zoellick.
Obama also announced his plans to attend the Business Summit of the Americas, held April 13 and 14 in Cartagena.
Close to 10,000 troops are expected to descend upon the Caribbean coastal city to provide security while the summits take place.
