For a peaceful, just and sustainable future in Colombia

On 20 December, three contracts worth 150 million euros each were signed for extensive projects in Colombia. The three sector reform programmes - the peace agenda, strengthening gender equality policy and implementing the SDG agenda in the environmental sector - are programmes that finance policy measures to be implemented over several years.

When a new government took office under Gustavo Petro in 2022, a substantive reorientation was initiated in many areas of policy. Among other things, new efforts are to be made in the peace process, gender equality is to be improved and the focus is to be placed on a more sustainable economy. Since Petro took office, a Ministry of Gender Equality has already been set up and extensive support has been promised for the victims of the many years of violent conflict.

Peace

German FC's long-standing commitment to supporting the peace process in Colombia is being continued. For several decades, the country was characterised by violent conflicts between government troops, paramilitaries and the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) as well as other guerrilla groups. The conclusion of the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC in 2016 officially brought an end to over 50 years of violent conflict. However, there are still major challenges, particularly the structural causes of the violent conflict, which require fundamental reforms of the Colombian state and are being tackled with the peace sector reform programme. In addition, a comprehensive reappraisal of the violent past is to take place and the new Colombian president's expanded peace policy "Paz Total", which among other things endeavours to achieve peace with existing guerrilla groups, is to be strengthened.

Gender equality policy

The women's rights situation in Colombia is a cause for concern. The Observatory of Femicides in Colombia reported 630 femicides, i.e. murders of women based on their gender, in 2020. The programme to strengthen gender equality policy is the first time that the Colombian government's reform efforts to achieve gender equality and equality for diverse population groups such as LGBTIQ+ people and migrant women are being supported by FC. The programme involves parallel financing with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which aims in particular to strengthen the legal and political framework for preventing violence against women and other disadvantaged groups.

Implementing the SDG agenda in the environmental sector

Colombia has developed relevant strategies to reduce deforestation, protect biodiversity (particularly in protected areas) and achieve its climate targets. The implementation of these strategies is financed by the loan package, among other things. Specifically, deforestation-free production and supply chains are being promoted to control and reduce deforestation and the National Biodiversity Action Plan is being updated in line with the agreements made at COP 15 in Kunming-Montreal.

The three programmes make a relevant contribution to supporting the current Colombian government's ambitious goals for a peaceful, just and sustainable future and to financing the necessary reforms in the country. In the so-called sector reform programmes (policy-based financing), payments are not linked to specific goods, services or results, but to the development and implementation of (sectoral) policy reforms.