The United States and Jamaica have officially signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), formalizing and strengthening their long-standing bilateral security partnership. This agreement follows discussions between United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Jamaican Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang during the Americas Counter Cartels Coalition Forum in Panama on August 12, 2026.
Status of Forces Agreements are international instruments that define the conditions under which one country's armed forces can be temporarily present in another for joint activities like training exercises and operations. Jamaica now joins over 120 other partner nations globally that have similar agreements with the United States, building on decades of close security cooperation that has included joint training, professional exchanges, and humanitarian efforts with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).
The newly signed SOFA sends a clear message to criminal organizations in the region, signaling a deepened and expanded commitment by both the United States Armed Forces and the JDF to combat criminal organizations and narco-terrorists involved in trafficking guns, drugs, and people. This framework is designed to enhance cooperation in critical areas such as regional security, defense collaboration, and disaster response, reaffirming a shared dedication to peace through strength and mutual interests.