Biden to host Colombian president on April 20

President Biden will host President Gustavo Petro of Colombia for a meeting at the White House next week, the White House announced on Friday.

Petro will be at the White House on Thursday for the bilateral meeting, during which the two leaders will discuss “joint efforts to combat climate change, counter narcotics trafficking, address our regional migration challenge, and promote democratic values and human and labor rights in the region and the world,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

Jean-Pierre called Colombia a “key partner” of the U.S. and Biden and Petro are also expected to discuss making progress on areas of mutual national interest, like economic and security cooperation.

The meeting with the South American leader comes as the president has been focused on ways to combat the influx of migrants coming into the U.S. 

Biden has taken steps towards stopping fentanyl from crossing the southern border of the U.S. and the politically charged issue has become a hot button topic that Republicans consistently criticize him on.

Colombia has been a partner in some of the Biden administration’s work, including efforts to crack down on human trafficking. The administration announced in February it is leading a multilateral policy action group to combat human smuggling and human trafficking, along with Colombia, as well as Argentina, El Salvador, Panama and others.