HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — November 24, 2016, marked the creation of Colombia’s 2016 peace accord between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to bring an official end to the armed conflict that had been ongoing for decades. However, the government of Colombia has been slack in its execution of the mechanisms of the agreement since then, with civil unrest showing no positive sign of ceasing. Moreover, despite Colombia’s economic recovery in 2022, increasing inflation is harshly affecting low-income Colombians. On May 26, 2022, Senator Bob Menendez [D-NJ] introduced the U.S.-Colombia Bicentennial Alliance Act in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with the co-sponsorship of seven members of Congress. S.4334 – U.S.-Colombia Bicentennial Alliance Act aims to support the democracy, peace, security and economy in Colombia.
The Situation in Colombia
On the fifth anniversary of the 2016 peace accord (November 24, 2021), U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres paid a visit to Colombia to examine in person “the achievements of peace” in the nation. He noticed some improvements, specifically the societal reintegration of FARC ex-combatants.
That said, the Colombian government has ill-delivered the promises in the peace agreement, putting the nation’s citizens at risk of conflict and violence. In 2021, ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data) reported “a 70% increase in organized political violence in Colombia” in comparison to 2020, noting more than 1,090 such events, with acts of violence against civilians accounting for more than 50% of these events. This is ACLED’s highest recorded rate of violence in Colombia since beginning its reporting in 2018. Unless there are massive reforms in 2022, brutality is very likely to increase. On January 2, 2022, intense fighting took place between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissidents of the FARC on the joint border of Colombia and Venezuela.
The economy in Colombia has recovered well from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to effective fiscal and monetary policy, Colombians’ average earnings remain steady. GDP (gross domestic product) is expected to see 6.1% and 2.1% growth by 2022 and 2023 respectively. However, at the same time, inflation is rising considerably owing to the instability of food and energy prices prompted by the Russia-Ukraine war. Hence, Colombia is facing increasing challenges to foster the country’s economic development.
US-Colombia Bicentennial Alliance Act
For more than 200 years, the U.S.-Colombia relationship has been firm. Recognizing this diplomacy, on March 10, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden made a public announcement declaring Colombia a major non–North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally. According to U.S. law, a major non-NATO ally status is synonymous with a closest partnership with the U.S. in terms of “additional defense, trade and security cooperation benefits.”
S.4334 – U.S.-Colombia Bicentennial Alliance Act – aims to assist Colombia to sustain democratic administration, peace and security as well as enhance its economic activities. Furthermore, the bill lays the groundwork for U.S.-Colombia’s mutual economic, cultural and political ties. There is a total of four sections in the act with provisions to achieve these goals.
1. Supporting Inclusive Economic Growth:
· A $200 million Colombian-American Enterprise to reinforce funding for Colombia’s technology sector and businesses owned by women along with technological skills training for females.
· A U.S. strategy to ramp up supply chains and nearshoring initiatives.
· A U.S.-Colombia Labor Compact that puts emphasis on the upholding of labor rights.
· Programs to “support the ability of rural cooperatives in conflict-affected areas of Colombia to bring products into national and international markets.”
· Initiatives to uplift and empower marginalized Afro-Colombian and Indigenous people in Colombia.
2. Advancing Peace and Democratic Governance in Colombia:
· U.S. policy in favor of “peace, justice, and democratic governance,” particularly the fulfillment of Colombia’s 2016 peace accord.
· The provision of $20 million from 2022 to 2026 to “provide critical assistance to human rights defenders and anti-corruption activists in Colombia through the Department of State Human Rights Defenders Fund.”
3. Strengthening Security Cooperation:
· A U.S.-Colombia consultative committee to foster security joint efforts.
· Strengthened bilateral actions on cyber defense and against cyber crimes
· “New classified reporting on FARC dissidents and malign activities by foreign states.”
· A U.S.-Colombia strategy to counter illegal mining and encourage a responsible gold supply chain.
4. Addressing Humanitarian Needs:
· The Colombia Relief and Development Coherence Strategy to give aid to “internally displaced persons, refugees, vulnerable migrants and people affected by natural disasters.”
· Improving Colombian health care infrastructure and providing more access to health care services for communities affected by conflict and violence, specifically “survivors of gender-based violence and Afro-Colombian and Indigenous populations.”
In conclusion, S.4334 – U.S.-Colombia Bicentennial Alliance Act is committed to assisting Colombia on its pathway to establishing a thriving country and deepening the U.S.-Colombia relationship.
– Lan Nguyen
Photo: Flickr