Washington D.C. – Earlier this week, House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Chairman Eliot Engel  (D-NY) were recognized by the Alliance for Peacebuilding (AFP) for their bipartisan consensus and leadership to prioritize conflict prevention and violence reduction in U.S. national security policy. Lead Republican McCaul and Chairman Engel were awarded the inaugural Peacebuilding Champion Award for their work to advance the Global Fragility Act and the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act. 

Lead Republican McCaul accepts the Peacebuilding Champion Award alongside Chairman Eliot Engel, and AFP’s President and CEO, Uzra Zeya

After accepting the award, Lead Republican McCaul said, in part: “I want to thank the Alliance for Peacebuilding for this award and for their continued leadership and advocacy on the Global Fragility Act. I am particularly honored to receive this award alongside my friend and Chairman, Eliot Engel. The Foreign Affairs Committee is truly the most bipartisan committee in Congress. As we often say, politics stops at the water’s edge. Our work together on the Global Fragility Act and numerous other pieces of legislation is a testament to that belief. Violent conflict costs the global economy more than 14 trillion dollars every year, killing tens of thousands of people, and displacing millions from their homes. We must address the root causes of fragility by supporting good governance, combating corruption, and prioritizing economic development to stabilize conflict-affected areas. Proactive investments in security and development now will make the United States and our allies safer in the long run.”

AFP President and CEO, Uzra Zeya: “The Alliance for Peacebuilding is honored to recognize HFAC Chairman Eliot Engel and Lead Republican Michael McCaul with our inaugural Peacebuilding Champion Award.  These two Congressional leaders are forging a new bipartisan consensus for peaceful prevention over costly military interventions.  Their leadership was essential to House adoption last May of the Global Fragility Act (GFA), which will revolutionize the U.S. approach to fragile states, saving lives and taxpayer dollars.  They are also standing up to protect vital U. S. assistance to the Northern Triangle that will protect millions of civilians from harm and make America safer.”

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