Dominican Republic, strategic ally of US against cartels at A3C summit
The SOUTHCOM commander praised the Dominican Republic as a key partner in the fight against drug trafficking during the A3C conference held in Santo Domingo.
Santo Domingo hosts summit of 19 nations against transnational organised crime
The United States qualified the Dominican Republic as a strategic ally in the fight against drug trafficking and transnational organised crime, according to a report by eldia.com.do. The statement was made during the Coalition of the Americas Against the Cartels (A3C) Conference, held on 26 and 27 October in Santo Domingo.
"The Dominican Republic has been a great ally and friend of the United States for so long. This is a key location, a key friendship and a key partnership," declared General Francis L. Donovan, commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
Donovan made these statements alongside Dominican Defence Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, who participated as co-organiser and host of the meeting together with SOUTHCOM.
The conference brought together defence and security authorities from 19 nations with the purpose of strengthening regional cooperation against cartels and transnational criminal networks. During the event, participants worked on the development of an operational plan and a governance charter that will establish the coalition's priorities and mechanisms to coordinate its actions.
The initiative seeks to intensify the exchange of intelligence and develop joint operations to dismantle criminal networks, protect borders and critical infrastructure, and contribute to regional security. The coalition also aims to broaden the response beyond interdiction, addressing the structures of illicit financing, logistics and corruption that sustain the cartels' activities.
A3C is an independent initiative, though complementary to the Shield of the Americas programme, oriented towards the strengthening of security, economic stability and regional resilience. The conference is framed in principles of shared responsibility, respect for sovereignty and compliance with the legal frameworks of each participating state.
Source: Google News DO — Crime