U.S. Pledges $1.6 Million for OAS Counter-Terrorism Coordination

The United States has pledged an additional $1.6 million to strengthen and expand counter-terrorism coordination in the Western Hemisphere, officials announced today at a meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) -- bringing the total U.S. contribution to $5 million since the 9/11 attacks.

The announcement was made by Asa Hutchinson, head of the U.S. delegation to the OAS Fifth Regular Session of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE), a three-day conference hosted this year in Trinidad. The U.S. pledge represents approximately 80 percent of total hemispheric investments in CICTE.

"The United States values effective multilateral institutions like CICTE and believes strongly that this body should continue to play an instrumental role in the security of the Western Hemisphere," said Hutchinson. "This funding demonstrates our firm commitment to working with free states to defeat an indiscriminate terrorist threat and ensure the safety, prosperity and well-being of all Americans. We share so much more than geography; we hold common beliefs and a promising future."

This year's CICTE session brings together official delegations from all 34 OAS member states to evaluate existing policies and to develop new strategies for hemispheric communication, cooperation, and training in combating the threat of transnational terrorism.

Among the issues addressed at this year's conference are a number of key issues such as document security; aviation security (including potential threats to civilian aircraft posed by Man Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS); biometrics sharing; and links between arms/narcotics trafficking and terrorism.