A PEOPLE-FOCUSED, INTEGRaTIONIST, GLOBaL aND PRaGMaTIC FOREIGN POLICY

TRADITIONAL PARTNERS 1. The Free Trade Agreements with Canada, the United States and the European Union, as well as the Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation with Canada, went into operation. 2. Bilateral relations and regional cooperation with Central America, mainly in the area of integral security, have been invigorated. 3. The agenda with the United States has been diversified to include science, technology, innovation, the environment, climate change and energy, among other topics. 4. Mechanisms for consultation on economic, social and environmental matters, including security and human rights, have been established with Canada and the European Union. NEW PARTNERS 5. Through high-level visits, specific agendas have been prioritised and enhanced with the following new partners: Australia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Morocco, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. COLOMBIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURS 6. Relations based on respect and cooperation with Venezuela and Ecuador were restored.
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7. Progress has been made in combatting illegal, undeclared and non-regulated fishing through the establishment of Action Plans with Costa Rica and Ecuador. INTERNATIONAL MECHANISMS 8. The Pacific Alliance, the most ambitious and successful integration process in Latin America, was created with Chile, Mexico and Peru. 9. The Pacific Alliance has made great efforts to establish a deeply integrated area to permit freedom of movement of goods, services, capitals and persons among its members. 10. As Pro-Tempore President of the CAN (2011-2012), Colombia promoted the institutional reengineering of the Andean Integration System. 11. Within the framework of the Mesoamerica Project, Colombia promoted the increase of electrical interconnection to intensify exchanges between Central American countries. 12. The Association of Caribbean States was strengthened through highlevel participation and the election of Colombian citizen Alfonso Munera as Secretary General for the 2012-2013 period.

13. In UNASUR, we shared the General Secretariat with Venezuela and actively participated in the security councils and actions against transnational organized crime. 14. The Mercosur Agreement on Travel Documents to allow nationals to travel with only their identity cards was signed. 15. Colombia adhered to the MERCOSUR Agreement for Temporary residence, which permits Colombians to live for up to 2 years in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay. 16. Our country continues to position itself as a campus for learning Spanish as a foreign language. Spanish courses for diplomats and public officials, with Spanish immersion courses for tourist guides from Member States of the Forum for East Asia-Latin American Cooperation (FEALAC), and promotional fairs for Colombias offer of Spanish courses have been essential. 17. Colombia was invited to begin the accession process to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 19. Colombia was a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2011-2012 period. 20. During 2013, in the United Nations System, Colombia presided over the work of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the UNHCR Board.

21. During the VI Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, the Hemispheres 34 Heads of State and Government agreed to start a debate on the current drugs policy and search for a new consensus at continental level. 22. Colombia has improved its human rights standards and has become an example of good practices in aspects such as follow-up of the systems recommendations and prevention of the recruitment of minors. Colombia was excluded from Chapter IV of the Inter-American Human Rights System. 23. Between 2010 and 2013, 30 Colombian candidacies to International Bodies, such as the Inter-American Human rights Court, UNESCO, ACS and UNASUR, were successful. 24. Through the Comprehensive Security Cooperation Strategy, Colombia trained 14,372 foreign officials from Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa in the fight against the global drugs problem and transnational organized crime. SOCIAL PROGRAMMES 25. The Borders for Prosperity Plan (BPP) has been active in Colombias 13 border departments, implementing 201 projects worth COP$85,600 million. 26. BPPs presence in Colombias border areas led to the presentation of a differential public proposal reflected in the CONPES document Prosperity for Borders. 27. The Comprehensive Programme for Children and Adolescents with

Opportunities has inaugurated 2 school canteens and 16 recreational centres in 11 departments. 28. The Sports Diplomacy initiative has offered 35 sports exchange programmes to 547 young people from 20 Colombian municipalities to 27 countries. 29. The Plan to Promote Colombia Abroad has carried out 479 cultural activities in 61 countries. NEW DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS 30. Diplomatic Representations were opened in Ghana, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates and reopened in Finland, Indonesia, Morocco, Thailand and Trinidad and Tobago. Offices in Algeria, Azerbaijan, Singapore and Vietnam will open this semester. Consulates were opened in Calgary and Vancouver (Canada), Antofagasta (Chile), Guangzhou and Shanghai (China), Auckland (New Zealand) and Newark and Orlando (United States). LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 31. The Ministry authored and coauthored 72 bills of law which successfully completed their passage through Congress. MIGRATION POLICY 32. 9 counties have eliminated the visa requirement for Colombians: El Salvador, Georgia, Guatemala, Haiti (for US or Schengen visa-holders), Jamaica, Mexico, the Russian

Federation, Turkey and Venezuela. USA extended the term of the tourist visa to 10 years. The transit visa requirement for Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands was also eliminated. 33. Through its Special Migrations Fund, created under Law 1465 of 2011, the Ministry offered assistance in 251 humanitarian cases. Under an Agreement with the International Organization for Migration, the Ministry dealt with 109 cases of human trafficking. 34. The Anti-Human Trafficking Investigations Group (GIATT), which was created with 120 migration officials, performs judicial police activities in coordination with the Office of the Public Prosecutor with 2 designated prosecutors. 35. Compared to 2008-2010, the number of Mobile Consulates has increased by 147% between 2010 and 2013. 403 Mobile Consulates have assisted 55,941 Colombians since August 2010. 36. Colombia has assumed important leadership in migration matters, participating in events, such as the International Migrations Week and the South American Migrations Conference, and creating Alliances for the exchange of experiences and good practices. 37. Good Government policies have resulted in improved efficiency

and service times in migration procedures. The implementation of a new migration management model has made Colombia an international example. 38. The Automatic Migration Project was implemented in Bogotas El Dorado Airport. This includes the incorporation of intelligent gates to facilitate the automatic immigration and emigration process. CITIZEN SERVICES 39. The North Service Centre (Calle 100) was inaugurated to centralise the Passports, Visas and Legalisations Offices. 40. The Integrated System for Procedures by Citizens (SITAC) was created to modernise and improve services provided to Colombians by simplifying online processes and enquires.

42. The Comprehensive Citizens Services Centre (CIAC) was created so that Colombians can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enquire about online legalisation of documents, visas, passports and request assistance. Using state-of-the-art technology, bilingual staff provide continuous service, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 43. The Diplomatic and Consular Career was strengthened, with entrance exams in Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla, Cucuta and Pasto, as well as Bogota, and the number of entry-level places was increased to 35. MIGRACIN COLOMBIA 44. The Colombian Migration Authority has been recognised nationally and internationally for its improved customer service, as well as its use of technology, collaboration with the Judicial Police and analysis of migration matters.

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