LatinNews Daily - 09 October 2023

Colombia: From 25-28 September US Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd Robinson travelled to Colombia, where he co-led the US delegation to the US-Colombia counternarcotics working group (CNWG) alongside the deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Adam Cohen, and met with Colombian officials and partners. Robinson reviewed US programmes that support Colombian efforts to combat drug production and trafficking, address environmental crimes like illegal mining, and strengthen the rule of law and human rights. The CNWG meetings focused on discussing shared counternarcotics challenges and opportunities for collaboration. The US and Colombian delegations, including Colombia’s deputy minister of defence and security policy, Alberto Lara, and deputy minister of foreign affairs, Francisco Coy, reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in addressing drug-related challenges, focusing on public health, human security, and long-term solutions by signing a memorandum of understanding. They agreed to increase interdiction efforts, combat money laundering, strengthen rural security, provide economic alternatives to illicit crops, reduce substance abuse, and enhance metrics for tackling drug production and trafficking. On social media, Robinson said he was “looking forward to a renewed focus on good governance, security, and counternarcotics cooperation with our Colombian partners”.  As a further sign of collaboration, the US provided three new black hawk helicopters for the Guacamaya fleet of 12 to the Colombian police with the purpose of increasing their aviation counternarcotic abilities whilst also addressing the associated environmental impact. Colombia’s defence ministry stated that this agreement with the US had allowed them to train over 600 officials and increased collaboration, trust and support between both countries.

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