Cusco, Peru.- The Minister of Defense of the Dominican Republic, Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, ERD., participated in the XVII Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CMDA), where he reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, interoperability, and the development of joint capabilities to address security challenges.
The meeting, considered the main hemispheric political forum on defense matters, brought together defense ministers and high-level civil and military authorities from more than 30 countries in the continent to address strategic issues such as the fight against transnational organized crime, hybrid threats, cyber defense, the protection of critical infrastructure, disaster response, and the effects of climate change.
During his speech, Fernández Onofre highlighted that current threats transcend national borders, which is why they require coordinated responses between States, supported by trust, information exchange, and permanent cooperation.
The minister pointed out that defense institutions must continue to strengthen their capabilities to increase national resilience and respond more effectively to increasingly complex scenarios.
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As a demonstration of the Dominican commitment to international cooperation, he presented the country’s response following the earthquakes that occurred in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela through Operation Quisqueya Solidaria 2026, which allowed for the deployment of specialized search and rescue teams, in addition to the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Fernández Onofre stated that hemispheric cooperation constitutes a strategic necessity to face common threats and highlighted that shared capabilities strengthen peace, save lives, and generate trust among nations.
The participation of the Dominican Republic in this forum allowed for the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral ties with the countries of the continent, as well as the expansion of cooperation mechanisms regarding defense and the exchange of experiences.
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As a result of the XVII Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas, the representatives of the participating countries signed the Cusco Declaration, a document that reaffirms the commitment to political-strategic dialogue, hemispheric cooperation, mutual trust, and the development of joint capabilities to contribute to regional peace, security, and stability.
Upon concluding his participation, Lieutenant General Fernández Onofre reiterated the Dominican Republic’s commitment to continue working alongside other nations in the hemisphere to build a safer, more resilient, and more solidary region.
