The Counselor of the Department of State, Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon, visited El Salvador on July 6th and 7th as part of an interagency delegation that continued on to Honduras and Guatemala. The trip began with his arrival in El Salvador on July 6th and will end on July 11th. Throughout the trip he will be joined by Assistant Secretary of State Bill Brownfield, DHS Assistant Secretary Alan Bersin, USAID Acting Assistant Administrator Beth Hogan, and DOJ Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Blanco.
The focus of the visit to the region was the Alliance for Prosperity, a program that will support the countries of the Northern Triangle. In El Salvador, the delegation met with civil society leaders, as well as senior government officials, including President Sanchez Ceren. Representatives from the U.S. Department of State and other governmental agencies were also involved in the discussions regarding the country’s current situation and the commitment of both countries to the Alliance. The various leaders discussed the planning, coordination, and implementation of the Alliance for Prosperity as well as the steps that are necessary to achieve the goals of the program. Ambassador Shannon spoke of improving the security in the nation as well as the relationship between El Salvador and the U.S. The delegation will continue the conversation with leaders and officials in Honduras and Guatemala in the following days.
This trip followed a series of U.S. diplomatic visits to the Northern Triangle to discuss the Alliance for Prosperity as well as other important issues. Important leaders who have visited the region include President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, and Vice President Biden. Ambassador Shannon and the delegation’s plans to visit Honduras and Guatemala this week will continue to address the process of the Alliance for Prosperity, as they continue to meet and discuss with leaders and groups of the region.
