The SDC primarily focuses its efforts in Colombia on delivering basic services and strengthening protection for victims of conflicts. However, these efforts also extend to other areas, including water access, water management and sanitation projects.
Colombia
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Embassy |
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Mission / Delegation / Permanent Representation |
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Consulate general |
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Honorary representation |
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Cooperation office |
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Contribution Office |
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Embassy with Cooperation Office |
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Embassy with Regional consular center |
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Swiss Business Hub |
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Swissnex |
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City |
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Capital |
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Disputed border |
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River |
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Lake |
In 2012, the Colombian government announced that it would start formal peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). This process led to the adoption of several pieces of legislation, including the Victims and Land Restitution Act. Although roundly applauded nationally and internationally, certain factions continue to oppose these negotiations, and organised violence remains an intractable problem. The SDC concentrates its efforts in Colombia on alleviating the worrying humanitarian situation faced by the victims of conflict. Its general strategy is designed to advance the processes towards conflict resolution and reconciliation. SDC cooperation in Colombia comes in a range of forms, including bilateral and multilateral partnerships, as well as direct action.
Swiss International Cooperation |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 * |
|---|---|---|---|
mill. CHF |
mill. CHF |
mill. CHF |
|
SDC |
|||
Bilateral development cooperation |
0.36 | 0.53 | – |
Humanitarian aid |
10.94 | 11.29 | 11.62 |
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) |
|||
Economic Cooperation and Development |
6.32 | 10.11 | 9.77 |
Total SDC/SECO |
17.62 | 21.93 | 21.39 |
Other Federal Offices |
|||
FDFA Human Security Division |
1.97 | 1.91 | 1.44 |
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) |
0.06 | 0.13 | .. |
Total other Federal Offices |
2.03 | 2.04 | 1.44 |
Cantons and municipalities |
1.22 | 1.21 | .. |
Total |
20.87 |
25.18 | 22.83 |
Swiss government spending for development and cooperation for the current year and the past two years, broken down by institution.
* planned; total based on available data
SDC figures excluding program contributions to Swiss NGOs
.. = figures not available | – = nil or amount < 5'000 CHF
Humanitarian Aid
Delivery of basic services to victims of conflict
Emergency humanitarian aid covers the basic needs of conflict-affected communities by giving them access to drinking water, and providing them with food and primary health care. This action not only secures the livelihoods of vulnerable populations, but also builds their institutional and organisational capacities, thereby equipping them to participate in the reconciliation process. The SDC is particularly active in rural areas.
Land governance
Protectionfor victims of conflict: land restitution
The Victims and Land Restitution Act, which was adopted in 2011, includes a number of mechanisms to protect the civilian population. They draw on the «Do-No-Harm» approach, which seeks to ensure that aid does not become a new source of conflict. This approach comprises three main strands:
- strengthening institutions
- capacity building (individual level)
- knowledge management
The Minister of Agriculture is responsible for administering the Act according to this approach, and is assisted in this process by experts from the National University of Colombia together with CDA-Collaborative Learning Projects, an American organisation.
Engagement in fragile contexts and prevention of violent conflicts
Water
Guaranteeing vulnerable communities access to water; improving sanitation and water management
Everyone, especially those living in rural communities, is entitled to a sustainable supply of water, as well as adequate sanitation. As part of a public-private partnership, Swiss and Colombian firms studied household water consumption. Their findings paved the way for a pilot project designed to improve water management in Colombia. In turn, the knowledge and experience acquired during the project led to the launch of a second phase, this time involving seven major Colombian firms. The National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) coordinates the project.
History of cooperation
From humanitarian aid to transition support
In 2001, the SDC opened an office in Bogota to oversee its humanitarian programme designed to improve the living conditions of victims of armed conflict. Colombia has also been an SDC priority country since 2009.
Links
Documents
Current projects
SuizAgua Colombia: Water footprint put into practice
01.01.2016
- 31.03.2019
The project applies the water footprint (WFP) indicator to monitor
and improve water use and to reduce the impacts of the business
sector. Companies in Colombia have endorsed a corporate social and
environmental responsibility plan that includes steps to improve
their water management. Additionally, a multi-sector approach is
used for the application of the WFP in Porce river watershed.
| Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Colombia Global Latin America |
Water
Integrated water resource management (watershed)
Water economics (governance, finance, private sector)
Integrated water resource management (watershed)
Water economics (governance, finance, private sector)
Water for agriculture and food
Water resources policy and advocacy
|
01.01.2016 - 31.03.2019 |
CHF 1'395'750 |
Strengthening the Colombian Mine Action Authority
01.07.2016
- 30.06.2017
According to DAICMA, Colombia registered 11,390 landmine victims
from 1990 to December 2015 - of which approximately 61 percent are
members of the Colombian Public Forces and 39 percent are civilians.
Moreover and the country is the 2nd country with greatest production
of new victims. There is an urgent need to organize and increase
capacity for demining, improve national coordination and deployment
of expert civilian organizations capable of designing responses for
populations at risk while supporting key government objectives.
Colombia acceded to the Ottawa Treaty in 2000, committing to the
clearance of all mines by 2021 - after an extension was granted in 2010.
UNV for Arauca Field Office
15.06.2016
- 14.07.2017
Over the past five years OCHA improved humanitarian coordination in
Colombia through robust information management, coordination
mechanism and sound assessments. Regular monitoring enabled OCHA to
provide existing coordination mechanisms at both national and local
levels with timely and accurate information and analyses, therefore
increasing the quality of decision making processes directed towards
humanitarian action and humanitarian response. It is noteworthy that
the role of international humanitarian actors in Colombia is to
complement and enhance state and governmental response efforts.
However, there are constraints to be surpassed aimed at
complementing institutions through better coordination.
Colombia Information Management and Analysis Unit (CIMAU)
18.05.2016
- 31.05.2018
Colombia has been suffering from a protracted armed conflict, which
affected the living conditions of over 7.5 million people. Colombia
has a historic opportunity to achieve a peace agreement with the
FARC-EP guerrilla in 2016, entering into a transition period out of
conflict into local peace and statebuilding. In this post-conflict
context, a data management system, taking into account not only
humanitarian, but also peacebuilding and development needs is
crucial to contribute to a more strategic decision making and better
alignment and harmonization.
WFP Secondment –Cash and Voucher Programme Officer
01.04.2016
- 30.11.2017
The Government of Colombia is making advances on a number of issues
that are central to resolving the civil conflict. In 2014, it was
estimated that 5.9 million internally displaced people and 262,000
confined people still needed humanitarian assistance.
WFP’s role in Colombia is two-folded: 1. as a provider of
humanitarian assistance to the populations affected by the civil
conflict and 2. as a facilitator of development. The Government has
requested WFP’s continued support to address the food and nutrition
security issues resulting from instability associated with the civil
conflict and gaps in coverage of the Government’s assistance
programmes through programmes that would contribute to the peace process.
WFP aims to complement Government programmes, and support the
development of efficient, sustainable and scalable food-assistance models.
Oxfam GB: Improvement of the living conditions through WATSAN solutions, of indigenous and afro communities in Bajo Atrato, Choco, with a focus on the promotion of women’s empowerment.
18.08.2015
- 31.07.2017
The five decades running armed conflict in Colombia continues to
cause humanitarian needs with consequences in terms of access to
basic rights in the remote geographic zones where SDC is present,
namely access to safe water and sanitation, need of protection of
the communities related to threats linked to natural calamities
and/or to the conflict (i.e. internal displacements, recruitments of
minors, etc). Rural communities in Choco, particularly indigenous
and afros, are among the most affected, whose condition is made
worse because of a general absence of state authorities (poor
capacity and will), which result in a general poor access to basic
services such water, sanitation and health. This situation led the
Constitutional court to call Colombian institutions to take urgent
action to address the persistence (since 2008) of an
unconstitutional state of affairs in the department of Choco.
Handicap International: Comprehensive action against Antipersonnel Mines (APM) and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) in three departments of Colombia.
01.08.2015
- 31.05.2017
The five decades running armed conflict in Colombia continues to
cause humanitarian needs such as internal displacement, landmine
contamination and the recruitment of minors by armed groups.
Departments of Nariño, Cauca and Cordoba, by geography serve as
strategic corridor to the Pacific and Caribe for the cultivation,
production and trafficking of drugs, weapons and illegal mining
among others, becoming scenario of social conflicts and armed
confrontation. Rural communities in those departments are among the
most affected by antipersonnel mines (APM) and Explosive Remnants of
War (ERW) which generate victims with poor access to physical and
psychosocial services, as well as option for social, economic and
educational inclusion.
The SABA Water and Sanitation Experience: Boosting Impact at Global Scale (SABA+)
01.12.2014
- 31.12.2017
Many countries transitioning to a higher economic status still
struggle on the water and sanitation component. In countries where
water supply or sanitation have been installed, aggregate outcomes
tend to mask that the quality of services is poor, that inequalities
are increasing and improvements in access do often not reach those
groups who suffer most. Thus, new models of intervention and
financing strategies are required for such countries.. Through this
new initiative, and by finalizing a unique scaling-up process in
Peru and replicating it in post-conflict areas of Colombia, SDC will
also enrich the global debate on the fulfillment of the SDGs and the
gradual exercise of the human right to water with a new model of
intervention and a new financing strategy.
Corporate Sustainability and Reporting for Competitive Business - CSRCB Phase II
01.09.2016
- 31.08.2020
Phase II of the 'Corporate Sustainability and Reporting for
Competitive Business' Programme (CSRCB) aims at promoting the
integration of SMEs into global value chains by improving their
sustainability reporting and performance. The programme is
implemented by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and targets six
developing countries.
Secompetitivo and IDB Colombia Sostenible Facility
01.04.2016
- 31.12.2020
SECO aims at supporting the Colombian government in its agenda to
a) strengthen the competitiveness of its economy, which is crucial
for the OECD accession and b) create economic perspectives and
support sustainable agricultural practices, which contribute to
lasting peace.
IFC Green Building EDGE Program
01.01.2016
- 31.12.2019
Buildings consume a large share of energy and water resources and are
responsible for up to 20% of global CO2 emissions. This program,
implemented by the IFC, aims at supporting the construction sector in
several SECO priority countries to design greener buildings. By
reducing energy and water use of buildings, operational costs for
house owners will decrease.
Global Financial Infrastructure Programme
09.10.2015
- 31.12.2020
The Global Financial Infrastructure Programme (hereafter, the
programme) will support the development and creation of
well-functioning financial markets in SECO’s priority countries.
With a specific focus on credit reporting and secured transaction,
the programme will facilitate financial inclusion and foster
responsible access to finance. It will be implemented by the the
International Finance Corporation (IFC).