Honduran President Touts Productive Relationship With U.S. in Bilateral Meeting

NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández met with U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon to discuss bilateral cooperation between their two countries. The meeting was held as part of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Following the meeting, President Hernández said the United States and Honduras have a "healthy and productive" relationship.

The meeting covered a wide range of topics, including the Alliance for Prosperity, a joint effort between the United States and Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to stem migration to the United States; the customs union recently established by Honduras and Guatemala; and the economic interests shared by Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua -- which are working together on a master plan to transform the Gulf of Fonseca into an Economic Development Zone.

"Honduras's prosperity is linked to the security of our neighbors," President Hernández said. "If Honduras is secure but our neighbors are not, we will be vulnerable to future threats."

The two leaders also discussed the U.S. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program, or DACA, which currently covers more than 18,000 Hondurans. DACA provides temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, commonly called "Dreamers."

President Hernández expressed his sincere hope that the United States will pass legislation allowing Honduran Dreamers to remain in the United States and added that DACA "benefits Hondurans and Americans alike."

The President said that Undersecretary Shannon's diplomatic experience contributed to the meeting's success and thanked him for his support.

"I'm glad that the United States is willing to work with Honduras to solve regional challenges," President Hernández said. "Our partnership with the United States is crucial to securing a more prosperous future for Hondurans."

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SOURCE Republic of Honduras