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Colombia

Bogota, Colombia. Copyright: photothek.net

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No peace, no development
Development potential
Priority areas of German cooperation with Colombia
Peacebuilding and crisis prevention
Environmental policy and the protection and sustainable use of natural resources
Strengthening the rule of law and the judiciary

Situation and cooperation

Colombia’s social and development policies are geared towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. President Juan Manuel Santos has declared overcoming extreme social dis­cre­pancies to be the main task for his government. The government development agency "Acción Social" reports directly to the President’s Office and is responsible for carrying out large-scale social programmes.

A Farmer in Colombia checks one of his coffee plants. Copyright: BMZOvercoming the structural causes of poverty in Co­lom­bia is one of the biggest chal­lenges facing the country. In­equal­ity in terms of income and land ownership is ex­tremely high. While the poorest 20 per cent of the po­pulation own only 2.5 per cent of national wealth, over 63 per cent of national wealth is concentrated in the hands of the richest 20 per cent of the population. Almost two thirds of the country’s privately-owned land is in the hands of only 0.4 per cent of landowners. Fifty-four per cent of families living in rural areas own no land whatsoever.

Between 2004 and 2007, the Colombian economy grew by an average of 6.2 per cent a year despite structural problems and the ongoing conflict within the country. Economic growth of 2.5 per cent in 2008 and 0.8 per cent in 2009 meant that a recession was avoided despite the international economic and financial crisis. This level of growth put Colombia well above the regional average for Latin America. Nevertheless, the decline in economic growth, exports and foreign direct investments had a major impact on the lives of the poor. Anticipated annual economic growth rates of 4.4 per cent for 2010 and 4.8 per cent for 2011 suggest that the Colombian economy can hope for a quick recovery.

The reconstruction of those parts of the country devastated by floods in 2010 is a huge challenge. President Santos described the natural disaster as the worst in Colombia’s history; more than two million people in 28 of the country’s 32 departments were directly affected by mudslides and flooding. The Colombian government’s estimate for the total costs of the destruction is in the order of at least five billion US dollars.

Despite the impacts of the global economic crisis and the high costs of dealing with the aftermath of the natural disaster, the Colombian government has so far managed to avoid making cuts in public social and development programmes.

No peace, no development

The country’s development has been inhibited primarily by the armed conflict between the state, paramilitaries and leftist guerrilla groups that has been going on for more than 40 years. According to World Bank estimates, the average income of Colombians today would be 50 per cent higher if a peace accord had been reached 20 years ago. The conflict is bankrolled primarily by the drugs trade. Colombia is the world’s biggest producer of cocaine. Along with kidnappings, cocaine is the main source of income for the illegal combatants.

Great poverty, especially in rural areas, and extreme social inequality are both a cause and a consequence of the drawn-out conflict. Although the security situation – and hence the in­vest­ment climate – has improved significantly in the past five years, Colombia will be unable to achieve its full development potential until there is an end to the violence.

Corruption is an obstacle in the battle against poverty and the drugs trade. Government institutions, particularly in rural areas, are fairly weak and control mechanisms do not work effectively. Although the legal system as such is well developed, there are evident weaknesses as regards the protection of basic human rights. Murders and acts of physical and sexual violence against women and children often go unpunished. For these reasons, many citizens mistrust the state. This feeling is amplified by the complicity that exists between politics, business, paramilitaries and the drugs trade.

A further challenge is the reintegration of ex-combatants into society. Under a demobilisation agreement around 36,000 paramilitaries were officially disarmed. Yet there are few proper long-term opportunities for them to earn a living. Thus, many former combatants end up joining new paramilitary groups or turning to organised crime, and the cycle of violence continues.

Development potential

Colombia is rich in natural resources. Almost half the country’s territory is covered with forest. Colombia is one of the countries with the highest biodiversity in the world, and also has mineral resources such as oil, coal, iron and copper. Colombia’s economy is experiencing solid growth despite the conflict. The extractive, construction, commercial, industrial, transport and com­mu­ni­ca­tions sectors in particular have enjoyed a boom. Tourism is an­other area of development potential for the country – provided that a peace agreement can be reached.

Colombia can also boast high levels of education and a large well-trained workforce. Civil society in Colombia is strong and very active, despite threats and intimidation.

Priority areas of German cooperation with Colombia

Germany and Colombia have been engaged in development cooperation since 1958. As well as the state organisations, many non-governmental organisations, church organisations and political foundations are also actively involved in promoting democracy, in peace and human rights education, and in emergency and refugee aid.

At the government negotiations between Germany and Colombia in December 2010, a total of 119.5 million euros was pledged for development cooperation in 2010 and 2011.

The two sides agreed to add a new priority area to Colombian-German cooperation. In addition to peacebuilding and crisis prevention, there will also be activities in the area of en­vi­ron­men­tal policy, and the protection and sustainable use of natural resources.

Peacebuilding and crisis prevention

Development cooperation can only exert a very limited influence on the armed conflict in Colombia. It is, above all, diplomatic and foreign policy initiatives that are needed. But development policy can help strengthen the country’s desire for peace and can do its bit to prevent new crises. Furthermore it can support important state institutions. For example, Germany is advising its Colombian partners in the areas of judicial reform and combating corruption and is working closely with institutions such as the National Com­mission for Reparation and Reconciliation (Comisión Nacional de Reparación y Reconciliación), which is a combined government and civil society initiative. Support is being given to programmes to teach young people peaceful methods of conflict trans­for­ma­tion and prevention. Alternatives to drug cultivation are being developed jointly with the rural population. In addition, German development cooperation is being used to promote the parti­cipation in society of women who have been forced out of their homes and to protect them from violence.

Peacebuilding projects can only be successful if civil society plays an active part. Therefore Germany only finances projects and programmes in which local authorities involve the local in­ha­bi­tants and even poor sections of the population are given a chance to contribute their labour and ideas. Close cooperation with non-governmental organisations, human rights or­ga­ni­sa­tions and church or­ga­ni­sa­tions is a very important part of official German development cooperation.

Because of the difficult security situation, new forms of co­oper­ation are also being developed. For example, suitably skilled national organisations are being used as intermediaries, and projects are being realised with the help of UN organisations. Germany is also working closely with the European Union, which supports regional peace and development programmes by means of "peace laboratories".

Environmental policy and the protection and sustainable use of natural resources

Colombia is a "mega-diversity country", which means that it is characterised by a particularly high degree of biodiversity. It is home to about 15 per cent of the world’s plant species and is at the top of the global biodiversity list when it comes to endemic species, in other words: birds, amphibians and plant species that are only found in one specific region.

This rich biodiversity in Colombia is increasingly under threat. The reasons for this include the expansion of agriculture and resource extraction, the consequences of illegal drug cultivation, and inadequate state regulation.

Germany’s commitment in the new priority area focuses on two areas. Core elements of the protection and sustainable use of natural resources are conserving biodiversity, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) and de­ve­lo­ping a national system for the management of protected areas.

Within the area of municipal environmental protection, Germany is contributing to the national programme to improve sanitation systems.

Strengthening the rule of law and the judiciary

The rule of law is one of the most important prerequisites for a functioning democracy. Of key importance in this context are fulfilling and protecting human rights, the existence of a state monopoly on force, the separation of powers, a system of checks and balances, the commitment of the government to act within the law, an independent, functioning judicial system and the equality of all citizens under the law and before the law.

After over 40 years of armed conflict, Colombia is confronted with a complex social and political situation. The country’s judiciary is facing a huge challenge. On the one hand, its task is to protect the victims of crimes and investigate those crimes. On the other hand, efforts are being made to reintegrate into society the various groups involved in the perpetration of crimes and to untangle the close networks of politicians, business interests, paramilitaries and drug dealers. Public institutions are too weak and too unreliable for the state to be able to able to exercise its mandate to govern efficiently. This has led to distrust among the people in the laws and institutions of the state.

German development cooperation is operating in strategic alliances with other international organisations to support Colombia’s legislative bodies and state supervisory bodies by passing on skills and building up administrative structures.

German development cooperation activities take the form of direct engagement with central institutions such as the supreme courts, the Supreme Council of Judges, the Office of the Inspector General and the Office of the Ombudsperson; the German Association of Judges is engaged in direct cooperation with its Colombian counterparts, work that is also supported by German development cooperation.

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