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State Partnership Program

Partner Focused   Strategically Aligned

The State Partnership Program (SPP) is a joint program of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), The U.S. State Department, and the individual states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The SPP has been successfully building relations for 30 years and now includes 88 partnerships with 100 nations around the globe.

The SPP evolved from a 1991 U.S. European Command decision to set up the Joint Contact Team Program in the Baltic Region with Reserve component Soldiers and Airmen. A subsequent National Guard Bureau proposal paired U.S. states with three nations emerging from the former Soviet Bloc and the SPP was born, becoming a key U.S. security cooperation tool, facilitating cooperation across all aspects of international civil-military affairs and encouraging people-to-people ties at the state level.

Through SPP, the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals but also leverages whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader interagency and corollary engagements spanning military, government, economic and social spheres.

The District of Columbia has partnerships with two countries—Jamaica and Burkina Faso.

Jamaica 

The partnership between the District of Columbia National Guard and Jamaica was established in 1999. Jamaica falls under the area of operations of U.S. Southern Command. The purpose of the partnership is to enhance U.S. Southern Command’s ability to establish and maintain enduring partnerships that improve longterm security cooperation relationships, while expanding partnership capacity. Jamaica is a leader in the Caribbean for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The D.C. National Guard is proud to work with its partner in the Caribbean to enhance their influence in the region.

 

Burkina Faso 

The partnership between the District of Columbia National Guard and Burkina Faso was established in 2019. Burkina Faso falls in the area of operations of U.S. Africa Command. The purpose of the partnership is to enhance U.S. Africa Command’s ability to build relationships that enhance global security, understanding and cooperation. Burkina Faso is working to build institutional capacity and strengthen their enlisted core. The D.C. Guard is proud to work with its partner to find mutually beneficial opportunities to enhance sustainment operations in complex environments including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.