U.S. "Trade Over Aid" Initiative
The U.S. is no longer comfortable with simply handing aid to developing countries. It is now seeking new partners, and thus far, 46 countries have signed up. The Trade Over Aid Initiative was launched on April 27, 2026 at the New York Stock Exchange. It was then followed in July by a forum event themed Opening Markets for Mutually Beneficial Economic Growth.
Oyiza Adaba - Africa-Related, New York
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
U.S. Mission to U.N. Hosts Event on Aid to Developing Countries. Images courtesy of NYSE Group.
The U.S. is no longer comfortable with simply handing aid to developing countries. It is now seeking new partners, and thus far, 46 countries have signed up. The Trade Over Aid Initiative was launched on April 27, 2026 at the New York Stock Exchange. It was then followed in July by a forum event themed Opening Markets for Mutually Beneficial Economic Growth.
What are the objectives of the Trade Over Aid Group of Friends?
The Trade Over Aid Initiative seeks to:
Advance the values outlined in the Trade Over Aid Declaration of Principles. We will encourage countries to make pro-business reforms resulting in an enabling environment for mutually beneficial international economic relations.
Facilitate dialogue between governments, the private sector, and UN and other international organizations to identify concrete actions and reforms necessary to attract investment and facilitate trade.
Showcase success stories from countries that have made progress toward their development objectives through free-market reforms.
Explore mutually beneficial business partnerships connecting developing countries with investment sources and technical expertise from the United States and other advanced economies, and from international organizations.
Digital Library of Capacity Building Offers
A key part of the Trade Over Aid Initiative is a digital library of capacity building offers from the U.S. and non-U.S. private sector and government agencies, international organizations, and NGOs. The library is available to all countries supporting the Initiative.
Number of Offers in Library: 63
Number of Contributors: 46
Private Sector Contributors: 29
U.S. Government Agency Contributors: 3
Foreign Government Contributors: 5
International Organization Contributors: 2
Philanthropy Contributors: 7
Where can a UN Member State sign up?
Permanent Missions are invited to express their interest in the initiative by registering at the Expression of Interest: U.S. Trade Over Aid Initiative form.
Countries Signed Up – Total: 46
Africa
1. Djibouti
2. Kenya
3. Lesotho
4. Morocco
5. Nigeria
6. Uganda
Europe
1. Albania
2. Armenia
3. Czechia
4. Estonia
5. Israel
6. Lithuania
7. North Macedonia
8. Romania
9. Serbia
South/Central Asia
1. Kazakhstan
2. Kyrgyzstan
3. Mongolia
4. Pakistan
5. Tajikistan
6. Turkmenistan
7. Uzbekistan
East Asia and Pacific
1. Cambodia
2. Fiji
3. Micronesia (Federated States of)
4. Naoero
5. Palau
6. Philippines
7. Singapore
8. Sri Lanka
9. Thailand
Middle East
1. Kuwait
2. Qatar
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Syrian Arab Republic
5. United Arab Emirates
Western Hemisphere
1. Antigua and Barbuda
2. Argentina
3. Chile
4. Costa Rica
5. Dominican Republic
6. Ecuador
7. Guatemala
8. Honduras
9. Panama
10. Paraguay
OUTCOMES: Ambassador Dan Negrea
A press briefing hosted by the Foreign Press Center was held on July 15, 2026 with Ambassador Dan Negrea, - the U.S. Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and Alternate Representative of the United States to the Sessions of the General Assembly
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Degrading CJNG: Announcing over $100 Million in Reward Offers and Visa Restrictions
Degrading CJNG: Announcing over $100 Million in Reward Offers and Visa Restrictions
Oyiza Adaba - Africa-Related, New York
U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE
Office of the Spokesperson
Media Note
August 5, 2026
In a historic and decisive action in support of President Trump’s mission to eliminate narco-terrorist cartels threatening the American people, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is announcing reward offers under the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) and Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) totaling up to $102 million for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions, in any country, of eight leaders and associates of Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). These rewards are offered in coordination with the DOJ, DEA, FBI, HSI, IRS, CBP, and the National Coordination Center.
Last year, the Trump Administration designated CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). CJNG is among the most violent and dangerous narco-terrorist organizations in our Hemisphere, and poisons American communities with illicit fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
The reward offers include up to $25 million (an increase from up to $5 million) for Juan Carlos Valencia González, a.k.a. “Pelón,” the new leader of CJNG following the recent death of his stepfather, CJNG founder Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, a.k.a. “El Mencho”; up to $15 million (an increase from up to $5 million) for Audias Flores Silva, a.k.a. “Jardinero”; up to $15 million each for Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytán, a.k.a. “Sapo,” and Oseguera Cervantes’ son-in-law, Julio Alberto Castillo Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Chorro”; up to $10 million each for Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, a.k.a. “Tripa,” Julio César Montero Pinzón, a.k.a. “El Tarjetas,” and Carlos Andrés Rivera Varela, a.k.a. “La Firma”; and up to $2 million for Griselda Margarita Arredondo Pinzón. These reward offers support our U.S. law enforcement partners in crippling the organization’s leadership.
Additionally, the Department is imposing visa restrictions on 65 individuals who are family members or close personal or business associates of persons linked to CJNG (who have been sanctioned under Executive Order 14059, Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade). Twenty-six of those individuals had existing visas, which have now been revoked. Since announcing this visa restriction policy in June 2025, a total of 93 visas have been revoked from family members and associates of sanctioned drug traffickers connected to FTO-designated cartels. Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, violent cartel operatives and their criminal facilitators are no longer able to enter our country and terrorize the American people.
Today’s reward offers complement the Department of Justice’s announcement of the unsealing of charges against Mendoza Gaytán, Castillo Rodríguez, Ruiz Velasco, Montero Pinzón, and Rivera Varela.
Today’s reward offers are authorized by the Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs under the NRP, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational drug trafficking globally and bring fugitives to justice, and the TOCRP, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational organized crime globally. The NRP, which was established in 1986, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and, along with its sister program, the TOCRP, has brought more than 90 transnational criminals and major narcotics traffickers to justice and paid out more than $200 million for information leading to apprehensions and other qualifying outcomes.
If you have information on Valencia González, Mendoza Gaytán, Castillo Rodríguez, or Ruiz Velasco, please contact the DEA by phone at 1-213-237-9990 (text/WhatsApp/Signal/Threema) or by email at CJNGtips@dea.gov. If you have information onMontero Pinzón, Rivera Varela, or Arredondo Pinzón, please contact the FBI by phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI or 212-384-1778 (WhatsApp), or online at http://www.fbi.gov/cjngrewardtips. If you have information on Flores Silva, please contact HSI by phone at 866-347-2423 or online at https://www.ice.gov/tips. If you are located outside of the United States, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are in the United States, please contact the local DEA, FBI, or HSI office in your city.
ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards for information furnished while in the performance of his or her official duties.
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