The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Honduras on the occasion of the Strategic and Human Rights Dialogues.
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JANUARY 10, 2023
TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS
In the Bilateral Strategic and Human Rights Dialogue, the Governments of the Republic of Honduras and the United States of America reaffirmed their continued commitment to jointly address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement.
Both countries committed to advance and deepen their bilateral relationship and improve the lives of their peoples through coordinated efforts to strengthen good governance, enhance rule of law, combat corruption, and respect, promote, and guarantee human rights.
With these goals in mind, both governments decided to actively cooperate to address insecurity and economic inequality to support sustainable development, mitigate climate change, address food security, and humanely manage migration, including responding to internally displaced people and others in need of protection.
Honduras and the United States agreed to formalize an initial investment of $33 million to increase access to a relevant and quality education.
USAID has provided support to the Ministry of Education in its programs to equip the education system with schools, safe community spaces, and flexible alternatives to meet the needs of young people who have not completed secondary education. The private sector will join this effort with support for infrastructure investment in schools prioritized by the Ministry of Education.
As part of our governments' joint efforts announced at the Summit of the Americas to curb hunger, USAID is investing an additional $10 million to increase Honduras' agricultural productivity, including support to improve local production and efficient use of fertilizers. Additionally, the United States Departments of Agriculture and Homeland Security will partner with the Government of Honduras to implement best practices to ensure the security of agriculture imports into Honduras.
Demonstrating their mutual commitment to the protection of human rights through the implementation of the Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, Social Collaborators and Justice Operators, they announced their intention to sign a joint memorandum of understanding that defines specific actions against domestic and gender-based violence while also increasing support to survivors.
Both Governments reaffirmed their mutual commitment to promote labor rights through fair labor laws and working conditions.
The United States recognizes the efforts of the government of President Xiomara Castro to protect and conserve forests, which contributes to climate mitigation and conservation of the environment in Honduras.
The National Electric Company started actions for the construction of hydroelectric dams, renewable energy projects and the deployment of clean energy technologies.
The Government of the United States of America welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Honduras and the United Nations to initiate the process of establishing an International Commission against Impunity and Corruption in Honduras (CICIH) that is independent, impartial and autonomous of the organized crime and the networks of corruption that have operated in Honduras.
Both governments announced their intention to promptly conclude an agreement to authorize the transfer to competent authorities of more than $1 million in forfeited assets laundered into the United States as part of a public corruption scheme under the previous government involving the Honduran social Security Institute.
On efforts to address irregular migration and forced displacement and to promote safe, orderly, humane, and regular migration, the United States and Honduras reaffirmed their commitments to regional cooperation and implementation of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection and to their respective roles in the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (known as MIRPS, for its abbreviation in Spanish) and the MIRPS Support Platform.
In shared understanding of the complex security situation that Honduras inherited, both governments committed to strengthen and expand the collaboration promoting increased civilian security, particularly supporting the efforts of the Honduran Government to combat impunity and organized crime.
