THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN COLOMBIA

The Colombian Embassy in Kenya presents a summary of the most important news in our country. For this mission, delivering this information to our main allies is a clear example of the political, social, and economic ties between Colombia and East Africa.

If you wish to have more details about the information sent, the doors of our embassy are open to discuss and broaden the topics of interest.

Mónica de Greiff

Ambassador of Colombia in Kenya

 

 

March 16, 2022

 

DEMOCRACY – ELECTIONS 2022

• The President of the Republic, Iván Duque, highlighted that in the elections held on March 13, more than 18 million votes were cast with the largest turnout ever in legislative elections in the country.

• He thanked the officials of the Electoral Organization and stated that “Colombia is once again consolidated as one of the electoral systems in this hemisphere with the greatest rapid data processing capacity and the delivery of reliable information to all citizens."

Members of observation missions also recognized him with such.

PEACE SEATS

The President also described the election of the 16 peace seats as "the greatest achievement of Colombian democracy," and stressed that it marked a milestone in the country. For the first time, the popularly elected victims with full guarantees will be able to have a voice and a vote in the Congress of the Republic.

• “The Circumscriptions of Peace are a necessary measure. A measure that was loudly demanded, because it is not possible for the perpetrators to have a first seat (in Congress) than those who have been lacerated by these disgraceful expressions of violence,” said the Head of State.

• For her part, the Vice President and Chancellor, Marta Lucía Ramírez indicated that Colombians residing abroad gave a wonderful example of commitment to democracy by exercising their right and duty in the 216 positions, which functioned normally in the world.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• President Iván Duque described his visit to Washington, USA, and his meeting on March 10 with the President of the United States, Joe Biden, as fruitful; in which the following was achieved:

1.  Designation of Colombia as a Principal Non-NATO Ally.
2.  Took our bilateral relations to the highest level.
3.  Receive the donation, by the US government, of 2 million vaccines.

• Colombia joined NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 2017 and is the only country in Latin America as a global member of that association, also known as the Atlantic Alliance.

• The Colombian President maintained that this status will allow "celebrating 200 years of bilateral relations with the most important status that Colombia has ever had for the US.

 “Colombia is US’s most important ally in the Western Hemisphere. We share both democratic and freedom values”, reiterated the President.

He stressed that this rating for Colombia will take the bilateral relationship to the highest point ever since in our history.

• The Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland and Minister of Business, Trade, and Employment, Leo Varadkar will make an official visit to Colombia, between March 14 and 18 in order to build a new agenda of opportunities in areas such as investment, trade, tourism, education, entrepreneurship, cooperation and political dialogue between the two nations.

• According to the Irish ambassador to Colombia, Fiona Nic Dhonnacha, stated that Colombia is a key partner for Ireland in this region.

“The visit of Deputy Prime Minister Varadkar confirms the interest in deepening our political and economic relations with Colombia and takes place in the context of the recent launch of our Irish Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean,” she said

EQUITY FOR WOMEN

• The Vice President and Chancellor, Marta Lucía Ramírez, participated, in New York, in the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), an international event in which high-level officials, world leaders inequity of gender and civil society organizations, will discuss the rights and guarantees of women on the planet.

• On Monday, March 14, the senior official spoke at the opening ceremony and installation of the session, where the topic addressed was:

 ‘Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of policies and climate change, environment and disaster risk reduction programs.

• The Vice President and Chancellor, Marta Lucía Ramírez, installed on March 8 the IV International Forum of Women- Forum M dubbed: 'Women Agents of Transformation'. With a powerful call to link women in the transformation of society by transcending politically correct speeches to ambitious companies through budget allocation.

• The scenario that brought together global references in gender equality and that took place in the Coffee Region, a reference region in female entrepreneurship; had a focus on women as agents of transformation with 4 modules:

1. Women peace and security;
2. Women as the engine of economic growth;
3. The role of women in the international agenda and foreign policy; and
4.  Female leadership in times of crisis; mitigating the impact of COVID-19.

 

PEACE WITH LEGALITY

• Peace with legality is a guaranteed process that is successful and with results.

 “In this, as in other fronts of the implementation of the Peace with Legality policy, the foundations and robust long-term planning are left so that future administrations can build on what has already been built” affirmed the Presidential Council for Stabilization.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Today, according to the Ministry, more than 60% of ex-combatants have a permanent job or a source of income through a productive project; 98% of them are already in the financial system; more than 90% are in the health system and more than 85% are already in the pension system.

-These achievements reflect for a group of more than 13 thousand ex-combatants as the UN Secretary-General said, "it is not only an example but an inspiration for the world."

• Likewise, it was revealed that within the framework of the reincorporation process of more than 13,000 ex-combatants, budget appropriations have been made for $1.1 billion pesos. From this budget, resources have been made available to attend to the monthly aid for ex-combatants and the more than 8,500 productive projects that we have at the national level.

 

For further information, please contact César Castro:

cesar.castro@cancilleria.gov.co