BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Eighteen countries from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have launched the Alliance for Security, Justice and Development, an unprecedented alliance which unites governments, multilateral organisations, and civil society to address organised crime.

The Alliance was launched at the Regional Security and Justice Summit which ended here on Thursday.

The initiative is being promoted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and  will operate on three pillars namely protecting vulnerable populations, strengthening security and justice institutions, and reducing illicit markets and financial flows.

It will also promote evidence-based policies and concrete actions.

The countries involved in the initiative are Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Panamá, Paraguay, Perú, Suriname, The Bahamas and Uruguay.

“Organised crime operates across borders and demands bold, coordinated regional action. Enhanced collaboration is critical to protect communities, strengthen institutions and capabilities and disincentivise illicit activities across the region,” said IDB President Ilan Goldfajn.

“The Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development will enable strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation, essential to amplify the impact of our countries’ efforts in addressing organised crime.”

The IDB said the Alliance will be guided by a steering committee and three technical working groups involving over 20 countries.

It said these groups are already advancing targeted initiatives, including curbing violence and trafficking in at-risk communities, enhancing security systems through technology and collaboration, and curbing illicit markets with advanced tools and coordination.

Additionally, the Alliance also has the participation of 11 organisations, including the Organisation of American States (OAS), the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), the World Bank, CAF (Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean), the Caribbean Development Bank, Caricom IMPACS, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Regional Security System (RSS), and the Italo-Latin American Institute (IILA).

These organisations all officially joined the Alliance, signaling a strengthened regional and global commitment and showcasing broad, multisectoral support for this initiative. The Alliance is an evolving initiative that will continue to welcome new partners.

Ecuador will hold the first pro tempore presidency of the Alliance. The IDB will serve as Technical Secretariat, providing strategic support and contributing to mobilising resources and scaling up effective interventions. To support regional implementation, the Alliance will work through tailored mechanisms.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has unveiled a 27 million £ (One British Pound= $1.26 cents US) funding package to enhance law enforcement, reinforce justice systems, and provide vital opportunities for at-risk youth throughout the Caribbean region.

The UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said another five million pounds has been allocated to the One Safe Caribbean Fund, the regional arm of the Inter- American Bank-sponsored Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development between Latin America and the Caribbean to support regional security systems.

Lammy told the Alliance’s launch that the UK’s committed to addressing what he described as shared challenges of illicit funding, corruption, and organised crime.

“And because these are threats to all of us, we are committed to doing more to tackle them with you all.

“We all know what’s needed: stronger borders, stronger law enforcement, stronger courts, better information sharing between jurisdictions, and clamping down on corruption,” he said, adding that availing opportunities to young people as alternatives to gang life is also important.

He told the event that a multi-faceted approach which addresses both “upstream and downstream” issues is essential for meaningful change.

London’s funding will be directed toward enhancing intelligence-gathering capabilities for law enforcement agencies, particularly in the northern and eastern Caribbean, equipping them with tools to combat criminal networks effectively.

Public campaigns discouraging violence will also be supported under this initiative.

In addition to these measures, the UK is extending its joint support with the US for criminal justice reforms in the Caribbean.

The three-year extension will focus on strengthening legal systems to ensure justice and accountability, which Lammy described as essential for long-term security.

“For too long, it’s been too easy for criminals to launder their money in the UK and other financial centres. This is changing.

“We will work with you to clamp down on corrupt criminals in your country and to keep your people’s wealth safe from their grasp,” Lammy said as he also highlighted what he described as an urgent crisis in Haiti, where unchecked gang activity has left one million children out of school, even as a cholera outbreak threatens public health.