On October 6, Secretary Blinken continues his regional travel to Lima, Peru, where he will lead the U.S. delegation at the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS). Secretary Blinken will engage regional counterparts on issues of shared interest and underscore the U.S. commitment to the OAS and this year's theme, "Together Against Inequality and Discrimination." He will chair the Summit Implementation Review Group, a ministerial-level meeting, to discuss implementation of commitments from the Ninth Summit of the Americas and reaffirm the important role of the OAS in advancing democracy, human rights, sustainable development, and security cooperation throughout the Western Hemisphere, consistent with the principles enshrined in the OAS Charter and the 2001 Inter-American Democratic Charter.
Secretary Blinken will also co-lead a migration ministerial on the Los Angeles Declaration, addressing irregular migration with our regional partners. In addition to meeting with OAS Secretary General Almagro, Secretary Blinken will engage with President Pedro Castillo and Foreign Minister César Landa to discuss increasing regional security, strengthening democratic governance, protecting the environment, and promoting inclusive economic development. Secretary Blinken will raise the importance of countering illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and its impact on local communities and ecosystems.
Peru, a Vital Strategic Partner
- The United States and Peru enjoy a strong, mutually beneficial, commercial partnership.
- Under the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA), total trade between our countries increased over 140 percent, from $9 billion in 2009 to over $22 billion in 2021.
- The United States works alongside the Peruvian government and civil society to preserve Peru's natural resources and cultural patrimony, while combating deforestation, illegal mining and logging, coca cultivation, and transnational criminal organizations.
- In addition to donating two million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the United States provided over $86.8 million in technical assistance and in-kind donations to the government and people of Peru, much of it reaching Peru's most remote and vulnerable populations.
- In September 2021, USAID signed a $321 million agreement with Peru, which will support sustainable development assistance through 2026.
- The more than 60-year collaboration between USAID and the Peruvian government has significantly reduced poverty while improving food security, basic infrastructure, health, and education services, and consolidating democratic institutions.
Addressing Irregular Migration
- The United States and Peru remain committed to finding sustainable global solutions to reduce irregular migration.
- Demonstrating U.S. support for the Venezuelan people, Peru, and the international response to the migration crisis, the United States provided over $286 million in humanitarian, economic, development, and health assistance to support response efforts in Peru.
- Peru hosts 1.3 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees and seeks to develop policies to stabilize both migrant and host communities.
Combating Crime and Narcotrafficking
- Our two governments have a long history of jointly combating the threat of narcotrafficking. We look forward to continuing this partnership.
- We support three mutually reinforcing lines of effort: illicit crop eradication, drugs and precursor chemical interdiction, and the development of legal economic opportunities.
- The United States provides training and capacity building for Peruvian authorities involved in counternarcotics efforts. For the past forty years, the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) has supported the Peruvian eradication agency's manual coca eradication work and the Peruvian National Police's interdiction capacity.
- INL programs also support Peruvian National Police capacity to provide security and access to justice for Peru's most vulnerable populations, including women, victims of trafficking in persons, Afro-Peruvians, and Indigenous rights defenders.
- For two decades, USAID has worked with the Peruvian National Counternarcotics Agency (DEVIDA) to support alternative crops such as cacao and coffee, facilitate access to rural finance and internet services, develop sustainable business strategies, and empower former coca-producing communities.
Natural Resources and Climate Change
- The United States helped Peru mitigate the ecological impacts of a major January 15 oil spill through the deployment of the U.S. National Response Team.
- Our broader USAID-led environmental and climate program, which included over $60 million in resources over the last three years, partners with the Peruvian government and indigenous and rural communities to improve social and environmental standards in mining, combat deforestation and other conservation crimes, promote sustainable economic development, and improve environmental justice for all.
Cultural Patrimony
- The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cultural patrimony protection between Peru's Ministry of Culture and the United States celebrated 25 years of fruitful collaboration in 2022. The MOU has facilitated the successful repatriation of over 2,000 artifacts illegally trafficked into the United States.
- Peru has received more than $3.5 million dollars from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, the most in Western Hemisphere. Through this fund, the United States supported 34 projects in 16 regions in Peru.
- The U.S. embassy manages over 50 scholarships, study abroad opportunities, and local programs that include diverse participants, promote equity across demographics and regions, and focus on promoting diversity, inclusion, and equal access to opportunity. This year, we launched two new post-graduate Fulbright programs: one for Afro-Peruvians and another for students with disabilities.
- The United States supports the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), and its nearly 400 alumnae in Peru.
