USS Gerald R. Ford heads to Caribbean – Navy Times

Strategic Naval Deployment to Advance Sustainable Development Goals in the Western Hemisphere

Upholding SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

In a significant move to bolster international peace and security, the United States has deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Bainbridge from the Mediterranean to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility. This deployment is a core component of an enhanced strategy to achieve key targets within Sustainable Development Goal 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

The Pentagon has confirmed that the carrier strike group’s mission is to support ongoing efforts to combat transnational organized crime. This directly addresses several SDG 16 targets:

• Target 16.4: By significantly reducing illicit financial and arms flows, the operation aims to combat organized crime and disrupt the activities of narcotics cartels.
• Target 16.1: The mission seeks to reduce all forms of violence and related death rates by confronting illicit actors whose activities compromise regional safety and security.
• Target 16.a: The enhanced U.S. force presence strengthens institutional capacity in the region, fostering international cooperation to prevent violence and combat crime.

Operational Framework and Asset Deployment

The policy underpinning this operation was formalized by an executive order designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, thereby providing a mandate for decisive action to eliminate their presence. This policy is designed to restore the rule of law in affected areas, a cornerstone of SDG 16.

The scale of the commitment to regional stability is demonstrated by the significant allocation of naval assets. In addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group, which includes five destroyers, the following vessels are operating in the region:

1. USS Iwo Jima
2. USS Fort Lauderdale
3. USS San Antonio
4. USS Lake Erie
5. USS Jason Dunham
6. USS Gravely
7. USS Stockdale
8. USS Wichita

Approximately 6,000 personnel are deployed aboard these vessels, executing missions to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit activities.

Mission Outcomes and Broader SDG Contributions

To date, the operation has resulted in at least 15 targeted strikes against vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking, leading to the neutralization of 16 boats and 64 individuals linked to designated criminal organizations. A recent strike on November 1 resulted in the deaths of three individuals from a U.S.-designated terrorist group.

While centered on security, the mission’s impact extends to other Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): By interdicting the flow of narcotics, the operation contributes to Target 3.5, which focuses on strengthening the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Combating the violence and instability caused by cartels helps create safer and more resilient communities, a key objective of SDG 11.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Disrupting illicit economies paves the way for legitimate and sustainable economic development, free from the corrupting influence of organized crime.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   • SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This is the most relevant SDG. The article’s core theme revolves around combating organized crime (drug cartels), reducing violence, and addressing illicit activities. The deployment of military assets for “counternarcotics efforts” and the policy to achieve the “total elimination of these organizations’ presence” directly relate to promoting peace, security, and justice.
   • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Although not explicitly mentioned, the “counternarcotics efforts” described in the article are a response to the public health crisis caused by drug trafficking and substance abuse. By attempting to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs, the operation indirectly addresses a major threat to public health and well-being.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article directly discusses violence and deaths resulting from the conflict with drug cartels. It mentions that the U.S. has “launched at least 15 lethal strikes” and that these actions resulted in “killing 64 people.” This target is relevant as the military operation is a response to the violence perpetrated by cartels, while also contributing to death rates through its own lethal actions.
   • Target 16.4: By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime. The article’s central focus is on combating organized crime. The mission to “detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities” and the designation of cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations” are direct actions aimed at fulfilling this target. The disruption of drug trafficking is a key component of reducing illicit financial flows.
   • Target 16.a: Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, to build capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime. The article describes the U.S. military increasing its presence in the “U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility” to “bolster U.S. capacity” to combat transnational crime. This represents an international effort by a nation to strengthen institutional capacity to combat crime and terrorism in a specific region.
   • Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol. The military’s “counternarcotics efforts” are a supply-side strategy to tackle the problem of narcotic drug abuse. While the article does not discuss prevention or treatment, the entire operation is predicated on the existence of a significant substance abuse problem that the illicit drug trade fuels.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   • For Target 16.1 (Reduce violence): The article provides direct quantitative indicators of violence. These include the “15 lethal strikes” launched, and the resulting death toll of “64 people” killed. These figures can be used to measure the intensity and human cost of the conflict.
   • For Target 16.4 (Combat organized crime): The article mentions the destruction of “16 boats” allegedly carrying drugs. This serves as a direct indicator of the disruption of trafficking operations. The scale of the military deployment, including the “world’s largest aircraft carrier,” eight other Navy vessels, and “around 6,000 personnel,” is an indicator of the resources allocated to combating organized crime.
   • For Target 3.5 (Address substance abuse): The article does not provide direct indicators for this target, as its focus is on law enforcement and military action rather than public health. However, the sheer scale of the “counternarcotics efforts” described implies the severity of the narcotic drug problem that these actions are intended to address. The success or failure of disrupting the drug supply could be seen as an indirect measure related to this target.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: navytimes.com