EU Trust Fund for Colombia
The violent armed conflict has afflicted Colombia for the past 50 years destabilising the country and causing the death of over 200,000 of people and the forced internal displacement of more than 5 million Colombians. The conflict has largely destroyed the country’s social fabric, seriously affected its economic development and undermined the resilience of large parts of its population.
Rural areas in Colombia have been disproportionately affected by the violent conflict and have suffered from illegal activities and violence. Delivery of public services has been hampered by weak presence of the state in many of these territories.
The peace agreement between the Government of Juan Manuel Santos and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejército Popular, FARC – EP offers a unique opportunity to put an end to decades of violence.
For more than a decade, the EU and Member States’ support to Colombia has focused on root causes and consequences of the conflict. During 15 years of collaboration the EU has gained legitimacy, recognition and the trust of the Colombian people. Together with the EU Member States, the EU has invested €1.5 billion in peacebuilding activities in Colombia.
What is a Trust Fund?
A Trust Fund is a development tool that pools together resources from different donors in order to enable a quick, flexible, and collective EU response to the different dimensions of an emergency or post-emergency situation.
Why do we need a Trust Fund for Colombia?
During the EU-CELAC Summit of 2015, the EU and its Member States confirmed at the highest level their willingness to set up a Trust Fund in support of the peace process in Colombia. It would enable the European Union to contribute to the implementation of the peace agreement, effectively and in a coordinated way.
The signature of the constitutive agreement of the EU Trust Fund for Colombia took place on Monday 12 December 2016, in presence of the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and President of Colombia Manuel Santos.
What is the size of the Trust Fund for Colombia?
The EU Trust Fund is set to have close to €95 million at its disposal, from the EU budget and from contributions of 19 EU Member States (Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Slovenia).
Additional contributions could be made in the future.
What is the objective of the Fund?
This Trust Fund will help to support the implementation of the peace agreement in the early recovery and stabilisation post conflict.
The overall aim is to help Colombia to secure a stable and lasting peace, to rebuild its social and economic fabric, and to give new hope to the people of Colombia.
Priority will be given to rural areas, which have been disproportionately affected by the conflict.
For more information: ec.europa.eu/europeaid
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