On July 25, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will depart for an official trip to U.S. Southern Command, Doral, FL, and meet with U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson, commander of U.S. Southern Command.
From there, Secretary Austin will travel to Brazil to participate in the 15th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA). Established in 1995, the CDMA is the Western Hemisphere's premier defense forum for strategic-level engagement among defense and security officials in the Americas. Delegations will discuss regional shared challenges and opportunities in an atmosphere of open dialogue and mutual confidence.
Secretary Austin will participate in hemispheric discussions regarding integrated deterrence; cyber defense; Women, Peace, and Security; and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Additionally, he will support affirming the role of the military in a democratic society, including respect for civilian authorities, democratic processes, and human rights.
Secretary Austin will hold bilateral meetings with several of his counterparts from the region. This series of high-level engagements reflect the United States' deep commitment to working alongside regional partners to chart our shared vision for a democratic, prosperous, and secure Western Hemisphere.
