Colombia, A Positive Country
Prepared by:
Affairs Coordinator
Internal and External Communications
Ministry of Foreign Relations
ON THE FRONT PAGE
• A COLOMBIAN ON THE TRAIL OF
COMET TEMPEL 1: NASA has
asked Colombian astronomer Alberto Quijano Vodniza, together
with half a dozen scientists around the world, to observe, and
take photographs and photometric images in order to define the
matter found in the dust raised by the impact with the comet
Tempel 1. The collision produced a change in the comet’s
structure, and for one month scientists will be able to observe
and analyze its behavior.
• COLOMBIA SECOND IN JUNIOR GOLF
WORLD CUP: the Colombian
team, Andres Echavarría, Juan Pablo Candela, Hector Arias
and Sergio Franky, took second place in the 14th annual Toyota
Junior Golf World Cup, held in Japan, and took third (Echavarría)
and fourth (Candela) places individually, with the brilliant
game played by the foursome. The United States won first place
for the seventh time, in the championship that each year gathers
the world’s 14 most outstanding junior teams in this sport.
SOCIAL INVESTMENT
• EDUCATION FOR DISPLACED CHILDREN: 278,802 boys and girls from displaced families will receive
education this year, according
to the government. During 2002 and 2003, 29,707 minors were served,
and in 2004 this figure increased to 138,192, with an investment
of $110,746 million pesos. In 2005 the system will serve boys
and girls at a cost of $228,598 million pesos. During this period
work has also been done to train teachers and administrators
who serve the displaced population, with the number increasing
from 788 trained in 2003, to 3,655 people trained in 2004. During
2005, 3,887 will be trained, leaving a total of 8,330 teachers
and administrators trained.
• COMPUTERS FOR EDUCATION IN
4,000 SCHOOLS: over the last five years, more than a million children
in 4,646 institutions
for public education have gained access to computers, and 56,000
teachers have been trained to work with the students. This government
program is based on donations by public and private organizations
of old equipment, which is refurbished and handed over to educational
institutions, the majority located in the most vulnerable zones.
In five years the program has received donations of 84,000 computers.
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND GENERATION OF EMPLOYMENT
• MIPYMES GENERATED 140,000 JOBS
IN THE FIRST QUARTER: when consulted by the association, Mipymes
businessmen highlighted
the dynamism of the sector as shown by the different indicators
for the period from January to March of 2005, continuing the
trend of the last few years. In the area of employment, 41% of
the businessmen reported growth over the first three months of
last year. According to Acopi this growth is reflected in 100,000
new jobs. Production levels were maintained or increased over
the first quarter of 2004 for 72% of those surveyed, and 78%
stated that sales increased or stayed level with respect to last
year.
• MACRO BUSINESS CONFERENCE WITH
BRAZIL CREATED POSSIBILITIES: more than 400 business appointments
were set up during the second
Macro Business Conference, in which the manufacturing sector
was of greatest interest to Brazilian buyers, as shown by US
$40 million in expected business deals. That sector was followed
by agro business, with US $17 million, and clothing for close
to one million dollars. The Brazilian buyers closed immediate
deals in sectors such as fuel coal for more than US $30 million.
The results were greater than one year ago in Sao Paulo, when
the results were US $16.9 million and 254 appointments.
• TO EUROPE WITH ZERO TARIFF: starting on July 1, 84%
of the products exported by Colombia to the European Union will
enter with no tariff. The member states approved the new regulations
for the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), for the Plus
chapter, which seeks to grant preferences to those countries
working in favor of sustainable development and good government.
The measure will allow the entry of 7,200 products. Sales in
2004 were €$2.924 million, showing growth of 28% over 2003.
The GSP - Plus is granted for a period of 15 years, but every
three years the EU will conduct a review to determine which countries
are meeting the requirements.
• ASOCOLFLORES WINS BUSINESS
AND SOCIAL AWARD: Asocolflores received a prize created to call
attention to businesses that
work to strengthen relations between Colombia and the United
Kingdom. It received the prize in the category of Social Development
Projects in Colombia for its efforts to offer benefits in health,
education, housing, and recreation to the workers at the Colombian
Association of Floriculture Workers.
DEMOCRATIC SECURITY
• 6 MILLION EUROS FOR A THIRD
PEACE LABORATORY: the European
Union began a process to identify a third laboratory, possibly
to be developed in the region of Montes de Maria and Meta, and
in which Colombia will invest €$6 million. The results of
the previous laboratories were satisfactory to the European Commission.
It also supports a rural development program in the Tierradentro
region, executes aid programs for street children, and works,
among other projects, toward strengthening the justice system
in Colombia, improving cartography systems, and supporting craftsmen
and small businessmen.
July 1, 2005.
(FIN/JHINA/CIE)
