Mexico: ICITAP Leads Interagency Discussion on Western Hemisphere Threats

On July 18, ICITAP concluded the three-day 2019 Western Hemisphere Program Management Meeting in Mexico City. Hosted by the ICITAP-Mexico mission at the U.S. Embassy’s Bilateral Implementation Office (BIO), ICITAP’s Western Hemisphere Regional Program Managers meeting was attended by ICITAP attachés and senior law enforcement advisors from Colombia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Central America along with their lead host-nation staff members. Participants also represented select interagency funders and partners, to include State/INL, State/CT, OPDAT, OIA, FBI, and DEA. Program content focused on in-depth individual country presentations and strategic discussions designed to maximize the use of available resources and promote regional collaboration. The purpose of this meeting was to strengthen communication and collaboration among ICITAP headquarters, ICITAP field missions, and the greater interagency. Participants also discussed projects, strategies, and experience in pursuit of better program development and delivery. Host-country law enforcement officials from Mexico and Colombia provided an overview of the transnational criminal threats in the region. All participating agencies delivered exceptional presentations, which will help ensure the exchange of information and ideas to strengthen USG law enforcement programs in the Western Hemisphere.