In 2024 Colombia will hold a conference between the countries of the European Union, South America and Mexico on issues of security and defense policies.
The Deputy Minister for Defense and Security Policies explained the fundamental purposes of the Security, Defense and Citizen Coexistence Policy: Commitments for Life and Peace 2022-2026 highlighting the protection of life, the environment, sovereignty and the strengthening of the Military Forces.
Delegations of Colombia and the European Union held a Security and Defense Dialogue on Thursday, with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations in these areas.
The delegation of Colombia was chaired by the Deputy Minister for Defense and Security Policies, Alberto Lara, and by the Deputy Minister for Multilateral Affairs, Elizabeth Taylor, and, on the part of the European Union, Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss, Executive director for Peace, Security and Defense of the European External Action Service, in addition to the head of division for Peace, Security and Defense Associations of the European External Action Service, Guillem Riutord Sampol.
In his speech, Deputy Minister Lara explained the purpose of the Security, Defense and Citizen Coexistence Policy: Commitments for Life and Peace 2022-2026 whose foundations are based on the concept of Human Security, to generate dignified living conditions as the main focus.
“When we are talking about security, we are talking about the need to link many more policies to generate conditions for a dignified life for all the inhabitants of this country. For this purpose, it is essential to understand what our priorities and organization are, in order to find coincidences that lead us to move forward in this joint work,” the deputy minister said.
For her part, Benedikta von Seherr-Thoss, Executive Director for Peace, Security and Defense of the European External Action Service, said that: "This new edition of our Dialogue highlights once again the excellent state of relations between the European Union and Colombia on Security and Defense issues. Colombia is a very close partner of the European Union in Latin America. We value its commitment to the defense of democratic values, human rights, peace and the defense of a rules-based international order, expressed among others by our joint rejection of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.”
Among the topics addressed in the framework of the Dialogue, there were security and defense missions and operations, maritime security, the gender approach, cooperation in cyber defense, environmental protection and deforestation, common points in disarmament and non-proliferation, in addition to the relationship with NATO, which include important issues such as Integrity, the women's agenda, peace and security, the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime, as well as the knowledge of doctrinal referents for the strengthening of joint operations and interoperability.
Both delegations agreed to explore the possibility of achieve an agreement for the security of the information.
Within the framework of the conversation, Colombia highlighted the operational synergy carried out in the Orion XI Naval Campaign, carried out in the first half of 2023, in which eight European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) participated, and the purpose of turning it into a permanent operation with an expanded mandate to combat transnational organized crime.
They in the same way exchanged information on European initiatives such as the Maritime Analysis and Operations Center on Drug Trafficking (MAOC-N), the Critical Maritime Route of the Indian Ocean Project (CRIMARIO I and II) and the Port Cooperation Project (SEACOP).
Finally, Deputy Minister Lara highlighted the interest in deepening and strengthening cooperation in the current operations (Atalanta and Orion), and exploring the possibility of expanding them to other geopolitical environments, around terrorism routes, drug trafficking, human trafficking, piracy, illegal fishing, smuggling and demining, sharing Colombian experience in these areas.
Source: Defense Sector Communications Office - Ministry of National Defense
