The following is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Tom Babington:

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green visited Castries, Saint Lucia on May 11, 2019. The Administrator met with Prime Minister Allen Chastanet to discuss shared challenges and opportunities to strengthen the bilateral relationship with St. Lucia on topics such as economic prosperity, youth development, education, and resiliency. Both leaders expressed their mutual concern about the dire situation in Venezuela. Administrator Green also discussed priorities, including juvenile justice, disaster response and risk reduction for hurricane preparedness with the Director General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Commission. The Administrator reaffirmed USAID's support of the U.S. Caribbean 2020 Strategy for Engagement under the U.S.-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016 (H.R. 4939) to advance our shared security, development, and prosperity goals in the Caribbean. Within the Caribbean 2020 Strategy, Administrator Green announced $2.4 million to strengthen basic education, research, and education-related activities to reduce youth proclivity towards crime and violence in the Caribbean, especially in St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Barbados.

While in Saint Lucia, Administrator Green visited USAID-supported activities, including a volunteer cleanup day to protect communities against mosquitoes that carry Zika virus and a meeting with organizations working on hurricane preparedness. He also met with young people, families, and community leaders who are working to prevent crime and violence among youth under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.