UK advances role in Central America

The UNITED KINGDOM became a SICA (Central America Integration System) “Extra Regional Observer”, at a ceremony held at the headquarters of SICA in San Salvador, this week.

The United Kingdom became a friend of SICA in September 2011, and applied to become Extra-Regional Observer in late 2012. The application was approved earlier this year.

Becoming Extra-Regional Observer reinforce the UK's commitment to the region and will allow the UK to work more closely with SICA and its Member States. The reopening of the British Embassy in El Salvador in 2012 enabled the UK to build closer ties with the General Secretariat of SICA, based in San Salvador says a press release from the British Embassy in Panama.
As an Extra-Regional Observer, the UK will continue to support the Central American Security Strategy, managed by SICA, in recognition of the security challenges facing the region. As a Friend of SICA, the UK has provided funding and assistance to Central American countries to face violence and organized crime in the form of sharing knowledge and providing training for police and other justice officials and security. This has included a leadership program for police officers .