A conference aimed at combating drug cartels and organized crime took place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from October 26 to 27, involving officials from defense and security agencies across 19 countries in the Western Hemisphere. The meeting was part of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C), a U.S.-led initiative, according to reports.
Coalition Strategy Development
The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Defense, in collaboration with U.S. Southern Command, organized the conference. Attendees focused on developing a strategic operational plan and the coalition’s charter, which aim to establish priorities and coordination rules, along with the organizational framework for the coalition. The Dominican Republic’s presidential administration noted that the new plan will address not only drug interdiction efforts but will also target the financing, logistics, and corruption that facilitate criminal operations.
During the opening of the conference, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader emphasized the importance of a unified approach to transnational crime, stating that responses cannot be fragmented across individual nations. He called for mutual trust among the countries involved and stressed the necessity for respect for each nation’s sovereignty and legal frameworks, as well as clear responsibilities and measurable outcomes.
Notable attendees included U.S. Southern Command Commander General Francis Donovan, U.S. Ambassador Leah Francis Campos, Dominican Republic Defense Minister Carlos Fernández Onofre, and Interior Minister Faride Raful. Previous meetings of the coalition took place in Miami in March and in Panama City in August. Officials categorized A3C as a separate initiative that complements the political alliance known as Shield of the Americas.
The coalition’s ongoing efforts reflect a commitment among nations to collaboratively address and dismantle organized crime networks that span multiple borders.
