The Consequences of Cutting U.S. Aid to the Northern Triangle

Please join CSIS Americas and the CSIS Project for Prosperity and Development for a public event on the critical nature of U.S. foreign assistance to the Northern Triangle and the security, socio-economic, and migratory consequences of recent changes in U.S. policy toward the region. 

On Friday, March 29, President Trump stated that his administration was cutting off federal funding to the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. A day later, the State Department announced that the cutoff not only affected future grants, but also ended spending in the Northern Triangle countries on programs funded with FY2017 and FY2018 appropriations, as well as funds recently approved in the Omnibus Appropriations bill for FY2019. In total, more than an estimated $1 billion could be affected. This policy change would not only impact political stability and economic opportunities in those countries, and therefore the push factors affecting migration, but will also likely have additional consequences unexpected by the Administration, which will reverberate throughout the entire region.
 
During this public event, we will be joined by a panel of experts from the Northern Triangle and U.S. government, business, and civil society communities to discuss what those potential consequences will be. Mark Schneider, Former USAID Deputy Administrator and CSIS Senior Adviser, will moderate the panel.
 
Additional congressional speakers to be confirmed shortly.

This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.