For Immediate Release

Office of Press Relations
press@usaid.gov

Press Release

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:‎

On May 3, Administrator Samantha Power and Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations Marcelo Ebrard met at the White House to discuss shared priorities and ongoing collaboration in the lead up to the Ninth Summit of the Americas, including U.S.-Mexico development cooperation in Northern Central America and efforts to expand labor migration pathways. Administrator Power highlighted the Summit of the Americas as a unique opportunity to work together to build a sustainable, resilient, and equitable future that responds to the hemisphere's most pressing issues, including irregular migration, food insecurity, and threats to democracy and civic space. The meeting was hosted by the National Security Council and included representatives from the Departments of State, Commerce, Energy, Labor, and Agriculture.

Administrator Power noted USAID’s promising collaboration with Mexico’s International Development Cooperation Agency (AMEXCID) through the Sembrando Oportunidades framework, under which the United States and Mexico are cooperating on development efforts to address the root causes of irregular migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Administrator Power underscored USAID’s commitment to this partnership and interest in continued and robust Government of Mexico support for Sembrando Oportunidades.

Administrator Power and Secretary Ebrard also discussed expanding seasonal labor pathways and strengthening worker protections for Northern Central American nationals. Administrator Power underscored the potential for ethical labor pathways to both reduce demand for irregular migration and address critical labor shortages. She detailed the Biden-Harris Administration’s progress in this area and stressed the strong support of the United States for continued actions, in parallel to implementation of the Administration’s Strategy to Address the Root Causes of Migration in Central America.

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