By Wendy Anders

In November 2006, Costa Rica and the state of New Mexico in the United States formed a civil-military partnership under a United States Department of Defense program managed by the U.S. National Guard to exchange and develop best practices in disaster response, emergency management, education, drug demand reduction, border security, and counternarcotics.

The National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP) links U.S. States with partner countries around the world, and current has 65 State/Country partnerships within the Defense Department’s six combatant commands.

Costa Rica is one of 22 such Latin American partnerships under the Southern Command (Southcom), according to the SPP website.

Brigadier General Andrew Salas, head of the New Mexico National Guard and current program leader visited Costa Rica on occasion of the 10th anniversary of their work together with Costa Rica’s Public Security Ministry.

“This relationship has grown and has fostered a strong bond between the National Guard of New Mexico and the Ministry of Public Security. One of the main elements of this tie can be attributed in part to cultural similarities and shared values among the people of New Mexico and Costa Ricans,” said S. Fitzgerald Haney, U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica.

Security Minister Gustavo Mata said help from the state of New Mexico has been vital to Costa Rica in the areas of disaster relief and counternarcotics support. “It is clear that this U.S. government program is an integral part of their security cooperation strategy throughout the region and we are very happy to be part of this partnership,” said Minister Mata.

Each year about 1,500 professionals from Costa Rica in fields such as police, aviation, disaster relief, border security, logistics, and vehicle maintenance receive training through exchange programs in New Mexico.

The National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP) was launched in 1993 as a post-Cold War effort to “minimize instability and encourage democratic governments in the former Soviet bloc nations,” according to the SPP website.

The SPP would allow for the expansion of “military-to-military contacts with the newly independent states of Central and Eastern Europe to promote subordination to civilian leadership, respect for human rights, and a defensively oriented military posture,” according to the United States Department of Defense.

The U.S. goals for the SPP program are to help prevent failed states and create stable regions, improve the capabilities of partner nations to protect their citizens, strengthen relationships to facilitate diplomacy, improve cultural awareness and skills among U.S. military personnel, and foster the integration of reserve and active U.S. National Guard forces into a unified force.