UK Relations with Colombia

Tuesday 15th November 2011 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr Jeremy Browne)]

I wish to update the House on the UK’s developing partnership with Colombia, and the opportunities this provides to both our countries.

In last November’s Canning lecture, the Foreign Secretary set out his vision for a step change in the UK’s relationship with Latin America. As part of our re-engagement with the region, the relationship between the UK and Colombia is broadening and deepening. Colombia has the potential to be one of Latin America’s great success stories and we are working in partnership with the Colombian Government to help it achieve this aim. Colombia is already an emerging power with a diversified economy, a growing middle class and a strong, democratic central Government. Colombia’s economy grew by 4.3% in 2010, with similarly strong growth forecast over the next five years. It has achieved macroeconomic stability.

It is important not to forget the context in which this has taken place. Colombia is addressing a legacy of over 50 years of armed conflict. In the 1990s the country was on the brink of political, social and economic collapse. The numbers of paramilitary and guerrilla forces grew and Colombia endured increasing and apparently unstoppable violence, cocaine production and trafficking, poor economic performance and massive internal displacement. Colombia’s citizens suffered serious human rights abuses, including the extrajudicial killing of thousands of civilians by members of the armed forces.

A new Colombia is emerging. Since the 1990s, the security situation has changed dramatically. There has been significant reduction of cocaine production, while murder and kidnapping rates have sharply decreased. The FARC guerrilla group has been significantly weakened.

The country’s progress to date in dealing with these issues should be recognised, but we should not shy away from the scale of the remaining problems. High numbers of candidates were murdered in the months before last month’s local elections. Too many Colombian soldiers continue to lose their lives at the hands of the FARC. Large numbers of alleged cases of extra judicial killings are yet to be prosecuted. Deadly attacks on human rights defenders have increased. Making progress in these areas is fundamental to Colombia realising its full potential.

The Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, stated his strong commitment to reform and modernisation in his inauguration speech in 2010. He has set out an ambitious programme in the areas of governance, equality, prosperity and security and committed to a policy of zero tolerance of human rights abuses. President Santos has improved relations with neighbouring countries like Ecuador and Venezuela and enhanced the active and constructive role Colombia plays internationally.

We have already seen important examples of these pledges being put into practice. The Santos Government have passed the flagship Victims and Land Restitution Law, which aims to return land to millions of displaced people and compensate victims. The state intelligence agency (DAS), which had been responsible for some of the worst human rights abuses, has been disbanded. In September, in a landmark judgment, its former head was found guilty of criminal conspiracy for providing right-wing militias with lists of leftist activists and trade union leaders, some of whom were subsequently killed or imprisoned. The rate of prosecutions for extrajudicial killings has risen sharply.

Colombia is at a pivotal moment of change at which it enjoys the leadership of a strong president with a strong mandate, with whom we share common values. The UK is taking the opportunity this offers to develop further our close relationship with Colombia.

Prosperity—Partnership for Growth

Promoting trade is vital for the UK’s economy and prosperity. Our approach is to ensure that Colombia’s economic growth, development, human rights and the rule of law are complementary and mutually reinforcing.

At present Colombia is only the UK’s fifth largest export market in Latin America. The export of UK goods to Colombia grew over 30% in 2010 and has grown even faster in the first half of 2011. But there is more potential to be realised. We support the EU/Andean multiparty trade agreement, which will help to increase our commercial exchanges. Education, science and innovation are central to the growth of both our economies. Colombia has pledged $89 billion for investment in these sectors by 2015. Educational exchange will be a central part of our relationship. We will explore opportunities to develop partnerships between UK and Colombian research institutes and spin-off companies.

Human Rights—Shared Values

We welcome the efforts of the Santos Government to address human rights abuses through a wide-ranging reform programme and a national human rights policy, working with civil society and the international community. This commitment has already translated into an improved dialogue with civil society, better relations with the judiciary and an impressive legislative record.

We have long been a strong advocate of human rights improvements in Colombia and a close partner of the Colombian Government and civil society in delivering them. This is a central part of our relationship and will not change.

Very serious problems remain, on which we encourage further progress. This includes ensuring the security of human rights defenders, protecting the cultural and territorial rights of indigenous groups, tackling impunity and improving access to justice.

Security and International Partnerships—Common Purpose

At the UN and elsewhere, the UK and Colombia continue to have a strong partnership on international security matters and on counter narcotics. We are working together closely at the UN Security Council.

Counter-narcotics work in Latin America is an integral part of the UK’s drugs strategy. Colombian cocaine poses a direct and significant threat to the UK. With our help, in recent years Colombia has arrested high-profile drugs traffickers, dismantled organised crime networks and seized over 25 tonnes of cocaine per year. Our support for this work will continue.

We are developing our partnership to achieve shared objectives on other international issues such as climate change and biodiversity. We work together in international fora to pursue green growth, combat climate change and secure our energy supplies for the long term. We are both committed to a legally binding international climate agreement and have strategies for delivering low carbon growth.

Our relationship with Colombia has long historical roots and is broad and rich in substance. It is predicated on our common aim of improving prosperity and security in the UK, Colombia and further afield. The Government look forward to developing our broad-based relationship further and the visit of President Santos to the UK later this month will make a significant contribution to this process.