KINGSTON, Jamaica—Jamaica and the United States have signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), aimed at strengthening military and security cooperation between the two countries.

According to a joint media release issued by the governments on Thursday, the agreement establishes the terms under which members of the United States Armed Forces may be temporarily present in Jamaica for mutually agreed activities, including training exercises and joint operations.

The agreement builds on decades of security cooperation between the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the United States Armed Forces, including joint training exercises, professional exchanges, humanitarian and disaster-response activities and other forms of security cooperation.

The signing follows a bilateral meeting between United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Jamaica’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang on August 12, 2026, on the margins of the Americas Counter Cartels Coalition Forum in Panama.

The governments said the agreement is intended to deepen cooperation in the fight against criminal organisations and narco-terrorists involved in the trafficking of guns, drugs and people.

It also provides a framework for cooperation in areas including regional security, defence cooperation and disaster response, according to the release.

Jamaica now joins more than 120 partner nations that have similar Status of Forces Agreements with the United States.

The governments said the agreement will provide a “modern and predictable framework” for further cooperation while reaffirming their commitment to a strong security partnership.