Wrap-Up | Congressional Delegation Trip to Colombia
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to join a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) to Colombia. We were able to meet with senior Colombian officials, local leaders, and civil society to advance the U.S.-Colombia bilateral relationship in accordance with values of peace and equality, and champion the rights of Afro-descendant and Indigenous Colombians. I wanted to share behind the scenes of the visit to keep you informed on the beneficial impact these trips have on our commitments to human rights, peace, and opportunities for collaboration on shared challenges such as climate change and regional migration.
I was honored to join Congressman Gregory Meeks, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Representatives Dean, Bera, Cherfilus-McCormick, and Kamlager-Dove to hear important updates on the peace process, and to advocate for the quick implementation of the Ethnic Chapter of the 2016 Peace Accord, which recognizes that without addressing the social and economic needs of Afro-Colombians and other ethnic communities in Colombia, peace cannot prevail.
Day 1, Cartegena, Colombia:
We began our visit by meeting officials from the Colombian government and the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, including U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Francisco Palmieri, USAID Mission Director And Rajaraman, and Colombian Ambassador Daniel García-Peña. This meeting gave us a helpful overview of U.S. engagement with the Colombian peace process and helped set the scene for the meetings we would be having for the remainder of the weekend. The CODEL also met on the first day with the Comité Intergremial, or Inter-Guild Committee, to talk about the future of bilateral trade between the United States and Colombia. Trade that integrates environmental, human rights, and labor protections not only benefits Colombians but also creates jobs and opportunities for Americans in MN-05 and across the country. Before we left Cartagena, we also got a chance to hear from beneficiaries of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Fellowship Program. This program, which is supported by USAID, gives Black and Indigenous Colombians access to English-language classes and scholarships to study in the United States. These types of people-to-people connections are absolutely fundamental to building a more cooperative, peaceful hemisphere, and it was inspiring to hear directly from participants in the program.
Day 1, Cali, Colombia:
We then travelled to Cali for a series of meetings with national and local officials.
We met with Afro-Colombian and Indigenous entrepreneurs and leaders of USAID-supported cultural enterprises. They briefed us on U.S.-supported initiatives that help create economic opportunities for youth. Many of the regions where we traveled were hurt badly by decades of conflict, and I was eager to hear the ways that the United States is helping these communities — which are disproportionately Black and Indigenous — rebuild and thrive.
We also had a conversation with officials from the local government in Cali, including representatives from the Mayor’s Secretariat for Economic Development, the Governor of Valle del Cauca, and the Cali Chamber of Commerce, to further increase our understanding of both the economic difficulties and the incredible economic potential of the region.
Day 2, Quibdo, Colombia:
On our second day, we traveled to Quibdó, the capital city of Chocó Department, and one of the centers of Afro-Colombian life and culture. During the decades of conflicts in Colombia, Quibdó and the wider region of Chocó were among the areas of Colombia most significantly affected by violence and internal displacement. I was grateful to have Foreign Minister Murillo, who was born in Chocó and had been its Governor, to lend his experience and expertise.
Our first meeting in Quibdó was focused on the sometimes stalled progress of implementing the 2016 Peace Accord, with particular focus for this trip on the Ethnic Chapter. The United States, to be very frank, had a significant role in the violence itself, and has a significant role to play in the peace process. USAID has been working on various projects to advance the implementation of the peace process, and I was glad to hear from them directly on their plans. There remains a lot of work to be done, and I will remain engaged on ensuring that the United States is providing whatever support is necessary and appropriate to help implement the Peace Accord.
We then met with the Governor of Chocó and Mayor of Quibdó to talk about the ongoing challenges related to economic development in the region. It is clear that the legacy of violence, as well as legacies of institutional racism, remain as obstacles to economic prosperity. We discussed some ways that the United States could help promote economic development in the region.
Day 2, Cali, Colombia:
We returned to Cali for a final round of meetings with Afro-Colombian and Indigenous civil society organizations and community leaders focused on security and locally-led peacebuilding.
Our delegation left with a clearer, more comprehensive understanding of both the difficulties and the possibilities for Black and Indigenous Colombians. I was very grateful for the opportunity to hear directly from people benefiting from US-funded programs, as well as for the candid conversations about the challenges that still lie ahead.
While a delegation as short as this one necessarily had a limited focus, we were able to reaffirm Congressional support for the full implementation of the Peace Accord, and for a genuine U.S. commitment to the prosperity and human rights of the Colombian people.
In service,
Ilhan Omar
