Lloyd J. Austin III Secretary of Defence | Official website
From October 13 to 16, 2024, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro led the United States delegation at the XVI Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA) in Mendoza, Argentina. The delegation included senior officials from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, as well as representatives from U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Northern Command.
The CDMA is a key defense forum in the Western Hemisphere, bringing together top national security and defense officials every two years to address regional challenges and strengthen partnerships. This year's conference focused on topics such as artificial intelligence and climate change from a defense perspective.
During his visit, Secretary Del Toro held bilateral meetings with several Ministry of Defense leaders:
In Argentina, he met with Minister of Defense Petri to reaffirm their commitment to the U.S.-Argentina defense relationship. They discussed enhancing cooperation in areas like Women, Peace, and Security and peacekeeping operations. Secretary Del Toro expressed gratitude for Argentina's role in hosting the conference and its contributions to global security.
In Brazil, discussions with Minister Múcio centered on collaboration in emerging defense areas such as cyber and space operations, military activities in the South Atlantic, and expanding industrial base cooperation. Both parties acknowledged progress towards finalizing a Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement between the U.S. and Brazil.
With Colombia's Vice Minister Suárez, Secretary Del Toro talked about strengthening their bilateral defense relationship by addressing challenges like counter-unmanned aircraft systems and climate change while supporting special operations. They also discussed efforts against transnational criminal organizations.
In Peru, conversations with Minister Astudillo highlighted security cooperation efforts against transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). The U.S. praised Peru's advancements toward lifting aerial interdiction restrictions.
The Ministers agreed on a proposal for the United States to host the XVIII CDMA in 2028.
