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
Selection
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
WATER AND SANITATION WATER AND SANITATION WATER AND SANITATION
Water sector policy and administrative management
Water resources conservation (including data collection)
Water sector policy and administrative management
Water resources conservation (including data collection)
Water sector policy and administrative management
Administrative costs
|
01.01.2016 - 31.03.2019 |
CHF 1'395'750 |
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
- 31.10.2017
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.
Integral water and sanitation management for peacebuilding in rural areas ASIR-SABA Colombia
01.12.2014
- 31.12.2017
Many countries transitioning to a higher economic status still
struggle on the Water and Sanitation component. In such countries
where water supply or sanitation have been installed aggregate
outcomes tends 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. New models of intervention and
financing strategy are required for such countries where the
majority of poor population is concentrated. Through this new
initiative By finalizing a unique scaling-up process in Peru and
replicating it in post conflicts areas of Colombia SDC will also
enrich the global debate on the fulfillment of the SDGs and the
gradual exercise of human right to water with a new model of
intervention and financing strategy.
The SABA Water and Sanitation Experience: Boosting Impact at Global Scale (SABA+)
01.12.2014
- 31.05.2018
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.
Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (DRFI) Phase II
01.12.2016
- 31.12.2021
SECO is partnerning with the World Bank to implement the Disaster
Risk Financing and Insurance (DRFI) Program to support primarily SECO
priority countries in building their financial resilience to natural
disasters. Countries receive technical assistance helping them in
their advance planning of financing needs in the case of natural disasters.
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.
Green Building EDGE standard Program
01.07.2016
- 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.
Colombia + Competitiva Program and IDB Colombia Sostenible Facility
01.07.2016
- 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.
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).
