Brazil to take part in the International Conference of Support for the Central American Security Strategy – Guatemala City, June 22-23, 2011

The Minister-in-Chief of the Office of Institutional Security of the Presidency (GSI), General José Elito Siqueira, will head the Brazilian delegation to the International Conference of Support for the Central American Security Strategy, to be held in Guatemala City, on June 22 and 23. Convened by the Central American Integration System (SICA), the event will be attended by Heads of State and Government from all Central American countries, in addition to several high-level representatives from invited countries, such as Mexico, Brazil, Spain and the United States.

The sharp increase in violence and organized crime – especially drug trafficking – has led the Central American countries to adopt a common security strategy in 2007.  Since 2010 an effort to update and strengthen this strategy has been carried out, with the support of friendly countries and international organizations.

The International Conference of Support for the Central American Security Strategy aims at raising awareness of the international community on the situation of violence in Central America and its effects; obtaining additional sources of cooperation and financing for security projects; structuring forms of financing to set up security projects; and creating mechanisms to coordinate, evaluate and follow-up on the Strategy.

Brazil praises the Central American initiative and is willing to enlarge technical cooperation already provided to the countries in the region on security matters, understanding that joint coordinated efforts are fundamental to combat effectively the scourge of urban violence and transnational crime.