A3C Summit in Santo Domingo: 19 countries strengthen fight against cartels
Defence and security authorities from 19 nations meet in Santo Domingo to coordinate strategies against drug trafficking and transnational organised crime.
A3C Conference brings together 19 nations in Santo Domingo to combat organised crime
Defence and security authorities from 19 countries gathered on Tuesday in Santo Domingo to debate strategies for shared intelligence and joint operations against criminal organisations, within the framework of the Conference of the Coalition of the Americas Against Cartels (A3C), according to eldia.com.do.
President Luis Abinader led the opening of the meeting, focused on strengthening regional cooperation against drug trafficking, narcoterrorism and transnational organised crime.
"If crime organises itself internationally, the response of States cannot remain fragmented nationally," Abinader said during his intervention, in which he emphasised the need to coordinate efforts, share strategic information and strengthen the institutional capacities of the participating countries.
The president argued that cooperation on security matters must be based on mutual trust, respect for sovereignty and compliance with the legal framework of each nation. He added that security requires not only solid institutions, but also access to justice, education and economic opportunities that steer young people away from criminal networks.
"Security protects development, but development also builds security," the Dominican president said.
Abinader acknowledged that previous editions of the coalition have contributed to forging a shared vision against criminal threats, but insisted that agreements must translate into concrete commitments, defined responsibilities and verifiable results. In that sense, he supported the establishment of evaluation mechanisms to measure progress and strengthen coordination between member countries.
The head of state reaffirmed the Dominican Republic's commitment to the regional fight against drug trafficking and transnational criminal organisations, and thanked United States Southern Command and the delegations present for their participation in the conference.
"Criminals should not find in our cooperation an opportunity to escape justice, but rather the certainty that justice will always reach them," Abinader concluded.
The event was attended by Defence Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Fernández Onofre; Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful; United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Leah Francis Campos; General Francis Donovan, commander of United States Southern Command; and the president of the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), Vice Admiral José Manuel Cabrera Ulloa, together with representatives from the 19 participating nations.
The A3C aims to promote intelligence sharing, international cooperation and joint operations as tools to dismantle criminal structures operating in the region.
Source: Google News DO — Santo Domingo