Guatemala City, Guatemala, by Brenda Larios -AGN-. High-level representatives from the United States, Guatemala, and Mexico held a trilateral ministerial meeting at the U.S. Department of State to strengthen cooperation in managing hemispheric migration and regional development.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting was led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, and Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall on behalf of the United States.
Carlos Ramiro Martínez, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Francisco José Jiménez, Minister of the Interior, represented Guatemala, and Alicia Bárcena, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, represented Mexico.
Today, we built on our strong collaboration with Mexico and Guatemala to manage irregular migration and address its root causes.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) February 28, 2024
By creating jobs, promoting democratic governance, protecting human rights, and improving security, we can help people build better lives at home. pic.twitter.com/wt38QUfGYU
Topics
The meeting reinforced key areas of collaboration between the three partners, including topics related to development, border enforcement, labor mobility pathways, and orderly, humane, and regular migration in the region.
Minister Martínez stated that in the near future, Guatemala will host the next Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection ministerial meeting. He reiterated Guatemala’s commitment to continue working with the United States and Mexico on migration, investment, and dialogues.
He added that this government will seek ways to reduce irregular migration by addressing the root causes and promoting actions that foster the development of the population with employment and essential services.
The U.S. and Mexican delegations congratulated the Guatemalan delegation on a successful democratic transition and pledged to work closely with President Bernardo Arévalo’s administration to help strengthen institutions and democratic values in Guatemala.
Outstanding work
The three delegations agreed on the urgency of addressing the structural causes of irregular migration and displacement. The participants discussed the importance of promoting investments in Guatemala to develop:
- Infrastructure
- Expand access to health
- Education
- Electricity
- Housing
They also emphasized the need to foster economic productivity, boost supply chains among the three countries, and create jobs in the region.
Our partnership with Mexico & Guatemala is critical to managing the historic levels of displacement across the globe, dismantling human smuggling networks, and combatting the scourge of fentanyl. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/BfGORM6tET
— Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (@SecMayorkas) February 28, 2024
Delegations committed to expanding access to labor mobility opportunities as a strategic response to migration challenges in the region. They also emphasized the importance of upholding international human rights and protection standards, ensuring the dignity and well-being of migrants and refugees, and maintaining consular cooperation to defend labor rights.
They discussed efforts to fight human trafficking and the importance of trafficking prevention programs. The parties committed to strengthening joint law enforcement efforts, including enhancing information sharing and working collectively to investigate and prosecute human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks.
Agreements
They also focused on increasing joint coordination efforts in managing and enforcing humanitarian standards at the borders, including the U.S.-Mexico and Mexico-Guatemala borders.
In addition, they committed to sharing data on migration flows through the launch of the Migration Flows Data Dashboard. It will improve coordination and data-driven decision-making.
Law enforcement agencies from the three countries will work together to identify security gaps, share information, and develop coordinated operational plans. The effort adds to and will expand on existing collaborations to address common border challenges.
Estados Unidos, Guatemala y México trazan un nuevo camino de colaboración hemisférica sobre migración en una reunión ministerial trilateral.
— MINEX Guatemala 🇬🇹 (@MinexGt) February 28, 2024
#ComunicadoConjunto 🔗 https://t.co/lwC0TBKpDN pic.twitter.com/1Z6hxi17Mv
Summit
Representatives reaffirmed their commitment to other regional cooperation initiatives, including the Summit on Labor Migration Pathways organized in May by Mexico, Colombia, and the International Organization for Migration.
The summit will foster regional cooperation to address migration challenges effectively, upholding the rights and dignity of all migrants.
