U.S. Embassy in Colombia

FACT SHEET
OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON

“The United States values our friendship with Colombia – a relationship rooted in a shared set of values, a commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental human rights.”

— U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, October 9, 2019

Secretary Pompeo will travel to Colombia on September 18-19 to meet with Colombian President Iván Duque.  The Secretary will reaffirm our strong partnership with Colombia to defend democracy in the region, combat COVID-19, revitalize our economies in the pandemic’s wake, and strengthen security against regional threats.

WORKING TOGETHER ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESPONSE

• The United States has provided more than $23.6 million in assistance for Colombia’s response to COVID-19, including $15.5 million in previously announced International Disaster Assistance funding. The United States is helping Colombians prevent the spread of the virus, deliver water and sanitation supplies, care for COVID-19 cases, and provide emergency food assistance.
• An additional $8.1 million in humanitarian assistance supports efforts to help vulnerable people and their host communities during the pandemic. The United States also delivered 200 ventilators to the Colombian government.
• Our COVID aid is part of a long-time effort to help our Colombian friends. Over the past two decades, the United States has invested more than $10 billion in total bilateral assistance.

ADVANCING COMMON SECURITY GOALS

• The United States and Colombia enjoy a long-standing friendship. We officially recognized Colombia as an independent state in 1822, our first diplomatic presence in Colombia was established in 1823, and our close partnership has endured almost two hundred years.
• Colombia continues to be a strong partner for the United States on security issues, including on countering illegal narcotics.  We are working together to reduce coca cultivation and cocaine production to 50 percent of 2017 levels by the end of 2023. In 2019, President Duque announced that, with substantial U.S. assistance, Colombia eradicated more than 100,000 hectares of coca in 2019.
• The United States strongly supports Colombia’s comprehensive strategy for addressing the scourge of illegal narcotics, which focuses on dismantling criminal organizations, reducing drug supply and demand, combating money laundering, and increasing state presence and economic opportunity in areas where narcotics trafficking upends the lives of rural Colombians.

SUPPORT FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY

• Since 2016, the United States has provided more than one billion dollars in direct and indirect support to Colombia’s peace implementation – the largest contribution of any international actor.
• The United States is Colombia’s largest trade and investment partner, with significant investments in the mining and manufacturing sectors. Colombia is the United States’ third-largest trade partner in Latin America, with two-way goods trade of nearly $29 billion in 2019.  S.-owned affiliates currently account for more than 90,000 jobs in Colombia.  We will continue to strengthen our cooperation through our América Crece bilateral agreement and the new U.S.-Colombia Growth Initiative.
• We are continuing building our mutual prosperity under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA). S. agriculture exports have more than doubled under the CTPA to $2.5 billion in 2019.  Trade collaboration benefits workers and businesses both in the United States and Colombia.
• The United States will partner with Colombia to support energy resource mineral development and governance in in order to meet our shared energy future and diversify supply chains for critical minerals.

SUPPORTING THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE

• Colombia is a key U.S. partner in helping the Venezuelan people restore democracy and economic prosperity to their country.  Colombia’s leadership has been essential in coordinating regional support for Interim President Juan Guaidó, as well as condemning Maduro’s misrule and isolating his illegitimate regime, including in the OAS and Lima Group.
• The U.S. government has provided more than $344 million (of which more than $265 million is humanitarian aid) since 2017 to help Colombia address the Venezuelan crisis and support the estimated 1.7 million Venezuelan refugees that Colombia hosts.