There is a lot of interest in summit meetings, but the systematic study of this unique form of diplomatic practice has been very limited. This article presents a new dataset that provides a rare glimpse into the nature of summit diplomacy and its role in global politics, from the 1943 meeting between Roosevelt and Stalin to the recent one between Putin and Trump.
These meetings tend to focus on high-level management that holds similar positions in their organization or industry. These individuals are considered leaders within their field and they can offer valuable insights that help resolve issues and achieve goals. Summit meetings can be virtual or in-person.
During the second Summit of the Americas, in Miami in 1994, auspicious historic conditions allowed for the formal institutionalization of the Summit process as a multilateral forum. Its Santiago Plan of Action committed the heads of state and government to meet periodically to deepen cooperation and understanding in accordance with their respective mandates.
In the years following the summit, there was an increase in the number of international organizations that organized these meetings and a greater diversity of subjects discussed. However, the Summit of the Americas still remained the primary multilateral platform for addressing critical global challenges.
Despite the increased frequency and the diversity of topics addressed at these events, most are still focused on economic matters. The G20, for instance, was originally launched in 1999 as a forum for finance ministers and central bank governors from the major developed and emerging economies.