U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Dominican President Luis Abinader on Wednesday, September 24, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly. According to a statement from Deputy Principal Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, the two men discussed, among other topics, regional security and the situation in Haiti.

“The Secretary of State underscored the strength of the relationship between the United States and the Dominican Republic and praised President Abinader’s partnership in advancing regional security. They discussed enhancing cooperation to disrupt the illicit trafficking of firearms and drugs and stressed the urgency of continued international support to bring security and stability to Haiti, particularly through the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution authorizing the creation of a United Nations Support Office for Haiti,” the statement published on the U.S. Department of State’s website read.