COLOMBIA,
A POSITIVE COUNTRY
Prepared by:
Affairs Coordinator
Internal and External Communications
Ministry of Foreign Relations
ON THE FRONT PAGE
• TOWARD HEALTHY
INTERNET: with the “Healthy Internet” campaign,
the national government is trying to counteract pornography,
sexual tourism, and the sexual exploitation of boys, girls, and
Colombian youth using the Internet. The campaign is based on
several publicity spots that will be continuously displayed by
the communication media, and which have been designed to be attention
grabbers, and reach both children and parents. Based on the resulting
denouncements made by Colombians regarding this crime, the government
and other authorities can apply different sanctions, either administrative
or criminal. The penalties may be applied to both the administrators
of the page for the crime of sexual exploitation, as well as
the Internet service providers who do not pay attention to the
authorities’ call to close the door on web sites that are
classified as dangerous.
•
COLOMBIA FASHION, TOUCHING DOWN
IN ITALY: Italian businessmen
and journalists declared the XV Colombiamoda, held in Medellín,
a total success. Thanks to the reception given by foreign journalists
to the Fair, the journalism prize “Identity Colombia” will
become an institution, aimed at Italian journalists who write
or publish positive articles or reports about the country.
In addition, out of a selected group of 15 Colombian models,
a Top Model will be chosen, who will be the symbol of Colombian
beauty at the fashion shows in Italy.
SOCIAL INVESTMENT
• ICETEX CREDITS:
ICETEX awarded
a total of 11,430 loans in the amount of $126 billion colombian
pesos to finance higher
education, to be delivered during the second semester of this
year. The population segments that will benefit the most from
this credit are those from income levels 1, 2, and 3, who received
90% of these loans. Of the 11,430 loans, 4,400 are to finance
the first semester of study, 2,465 for the second semester, and
1,063 for the third semester. Specifically, of the loans approved
for the second semester, 929 will finance technical studies,
1,205 technological studies, and 9,259 for university education.
• NEW LOANS
FROM THE FNA: the Board of directors for the
Fondo Nacional de Ahorro (National Savings Fund) (FNA) approved
the addition of $75 billion Colombian pesos to the institution’s
budget, for the purpose of creating more credit for housing in
2004. Year to date, the FNA has approved a total of 6,120 mortgage
loans in the amount of $199,481 million pesos, an amount that
corresponds to 91% of the number of applications that were anticipated.
The most recent mortgage credit approvals by the Fund for new
and used housing reached $16,778 million and will cover 492 Colombian
families.
• RESOURCES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: the government has guaranteed
additional resources in the amount of US$28.6 million to invest
from now until 2008 in the conservation of forests and ecosystems,
solid waste management, and cleaner production. Of this total
amount, US$20 million are from a credit from the Interamerican
Development Bank, and the other US$8.6 million correspond to
local fund matching guaranteed by the Nation. With this new injection
of additional resources, the Ministry of the Environment will
protect the water resources in the country, and increase plant
cover in at least 20 thousand new hectares. It also proposes
linking 140 municipalities with micro basins, benefiting 300
drinking water systems by guaranteeing the water supply for human
consumption, and co financing the execution of 200 protective
reforestation projects, an initiative that will generate close
to 4,800 jobs.
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND GENERATION OF EMPLOYMENT
• EARNINGS
FROM ENERGY SALES TO ECUADOR: in July, 112
Gigawatt-hours (GWh) were sold to Ecuador, which provided revenue
of US$6.1 million for the country, and 3.5 GWH were imported
from the neighboring country, for which US$61,074 were paid.
Sales last month contributed to total energy exports to Ecuador
of US$65.1 million in the first seven months of the year, produced
by 949.81 GWh. In 17 months of operation, the “Transacciones
Internacionales de Electricidad de Corto Plazo” (International
Short Term Electricity Transactions) (TIE) have generated in
the Colombian electrical sector sales in the amount of US$145.7
million, which makes Ecuador a market of great interest to the
country. Of the US$145.7 million generated by the TIE, US$77.7
million come from congestion earnings, that is to say, the economic
benefits obtained by selling at a higher price than expected.
• GIBRALTAR,
VERY HIGH QUALITY OIL: after six months of
testing in the north sector of the “Piedemonte llanero” (foothills
of the plains), Ecopetrol found reserves of at least 15 million
barrels of oil, and more than 630 cubic gigafeet of gas. According
to oil authorities, the volume of the reserve is equal to 120
million barrels of oil, if you take into account that the 630
cubic gigafeet of gas are equal to approximately 1,185 million
barrels of liquid petroleum.
• COMMERCIAL
INTEGRATION: to advance toward regional economic
integration processes, the national government launched the “Registro
Mercantil Andino y del Caribe” (Andes and Caribbean Mercantile
Registry), which will allow for the standardization of business
information in the region, facilitating access to key data for
companies, such as legal representation, activities permitted,
and financial situation. The project has been led by the Colombian
Chambers of Commerce, which, starting in January of 2005, will
focus in a single database the information from the 57 Chambers
of Commerce in the country, and will also integrate business
information from Bolivia, which will allow for reciprocal investments
in the two countries. Based on these two initiatives, it is expected
that the “Registro Mercantil Andino y del Caribe” will
integrate information from Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, the Dominican
Republic, and Venezuela.
• RESULTS
OF COLOMBIAMODA: the businessmen of the world
who participated in Colombiamoda reported new business deals
for close to US$40 million, which could increase when the definitive
results are handed in. The preliminary figure corresponds to
the reports from 70% of the 574 buyers invited, and that is why
it is probable that it will increase. The international buyers
made 3,750 appointments with the Colombian businessmen, and the
climate of the transactions was positive on both sides. Among
the new business agreements are: one for towels with the United
Kingdom company Poplar Linens Trade Co., one with the Venezuelan
company Prendas Íntimas, and one set up with the Chilean
corset company Vonduch, which signed contracts for US$70 thousand,
among others.
DEMOCRATIC SECURITY
• DECREASE
IN THEFT OF GASOLINE: the theft of fuel decreased by 68.4% in July 2004, in comparison
with the statistics from
July 2003, which shows that the campaign carried out by the authorities
to wipe out this crime produced decisive results. The decrease
in this illicit activity has been constant since July 2002, when
an average of 10,200 barrels stolen daily was reached. Comparing
this figure with July 2003 (7,469 barrels daily on average),
a reduction of 68.44% can be seen, and with respect to the same
month in 2002 (10,200 barrels per day) the decrease is 76.89%.
In the first seven months of this year, an average of 3,210 barrels
per day have been stolen, which means a loss of US$33,487,084.
However, a comparison with the same period in 2003 shows a fall
in this illicit activity of 54.76%.
• NEW STATISTICS
FOR DEMOBILIZATION: up to August 2004,
165 people have abandoned the ranks of the illegal armed groups,
thus completing 1,809 people demobilized this year, and 6,119
during this current administration. Of those who have deserted
in August, 87 belonged to the FARC, 57 to the AUC, 18 to the
ELN, and 3 to dissident groups. The Department with the greatest
number of desertions reported during this month was Antioquia
with 22, followed by Caquetá with 20, Bolívar with
13 and Meta with 11.
STATE EFFICIENCY AND TRANSPARENCY
• MILLIONS
FOR TAX COLLECTION: the “Dirección
de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales” (National Customs and
Tax Department) (DIAN) collected $215 billion colombian pesos
from the first payment of the fatherland tax ordered by the latest
tax reform, or Law 863 of 2003. When it revealed the amount collected
in taxes in July 2004, the DIAN indicated that the second payment
of this tax, 0.3% of all capital over $3.000 million for three
years (2004, 2005 and 2006), must be paid by September 24. The
overall goals for collection established have been surpassed
by close to 4%, which represents additional income of more than
$41 billion pesos. The collection goal for the first seven months
of this year was for COL$21.8 trillion, which means to say it
has been surpassed by $841,119 million.
(FIN/PCO/CIE)
August 27, 2004
