Colombia, a Positive Country
Prepared by:
Internal and External Communications
Affairs Coordinator
Ministry of Foreign Relations
ON THE FRONT PAGE
• NATIONAL 2005 PEACE PRIZE: a new summon to the National
Peace Prize will be opened on 7 June in Toribío, Cauca,
by the United Nations Development Program, El Tiempo, El Colombiano,
Caracol Radio, and Caracol Televisión, Semana magazine,
and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Colombia -Fescol-. The successful
initiatives are: 1999 Sovereign Town of Mogotes, Santander; 2000
NASA Project of Northern Cauca Indigenous Councils; 2001 Middle
Magdalena Development and Peace Program; 2002 Association of
Upper Ariary Municipalities, in Meta; 2003 Bolívar Department
Montes de María Communications Group; 2004 Remolinos de
Caguán and Suncillas-Chocaguán Cocoa Growers Committee
and northern Cauca Indigenous Guard.
SOCIAL EQUITY
• GOVERNMENT FINANCES SOCIAL
INTEREST HOUSING: the Government has made an investment of $2.14 trillion
to finance the construction
of 224,939 houses, between 7 August 2002 and 25 May, through
subsidies and loans granted by Fonvivienda, Banco Agrario, Family
Subsidy Funds, Caja Promotora de Vivienda Militar (Military Housing
Promotion Institution), Findeter, and Fondo Nacional del Ahorro
(National Savings Fund).
• 140% EFFECTIVENESS OF UNEMPLOYMENT
PROGRAM: through subsidy funds, the Government has delivered
97,599 subsidies
to Colombians who have lost their jobs. Out of the total, 18,247
were delivered in 2003; 65,462 in 2004, and 13,890 so far in
2005. The unemployed protection program, started in 2003 and
created by Law 789 of December 2002, provides each unemployed
citizen with an aid equivalent to one and a half salary per beneficiary,
represented by contributions to health and food and education
bonds.
SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND GENERATION OF EMPLOYMENT
• CAF APPROVED US$150 MILLION
FOR ROADS: Corporación
Andina de Fomento approved 150 million dollars for Colombia to
partially finance the Road Infrastructure and Regional Development
Program, whose executing agency will be Instituto Nacional de
Vías. The resources will support the initiative intended
to improve competitiveness and reach the objectives outlined
in the National Development Plan, aimed at optimizing current
productive conditions and their insertion in international markets.
• UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN TO 12%: in April 2005, the countrywide
unemployment rate decreased to 12% vis-à-vis 14.7% in
April 2004, according to Dane. Results from the National Household
Survey show that the number of people working went up by 349,296,
going from 17,379,964 citizens to 17,729,260. The number of unemployed
people decreased by 574,365, down from 2,998,174 to 2,423,809.
• BOOK FAIR NEGOTIATED OVER US$18
MILLION: the mission of international buyers invited by Proexport
to participate in
the XVIIIth International Book that concluded on 2 May agreed
on business dealings for US$18 million with Colombian entrepreneurs.
STATE EFFICIENCY AND TRANSPARENCY
• WORKS FOR SAN ANDRÉS AND PROVIDENCIA: the Colombian
Government, through Fondo Financiero de Proyectos para el Desarrollo
(Financial Development Project Fund) is currently undertaking
social impact works in San Andrés and Providencia for
more than $40 trillion: It is equipping the Providencia Hospital
and building a new one in San Andrés; it is developing
housing, trade, recreation, and public space plans; it is building
the Colombia Avenue and enlarging the tourist wharf.
DEMOCRATIC SECURITY
• BUDGET FOR DISPLACED POPULATION
INCREASED: the United
Nations Agency for Refugees submitted a report to the Constitutional
Court where it underlines, among other aspects, the 132% growth
of the budget for attention to the country’s displaced
population. During this Administration, an enhanced budgetary
commitment has been generated within State agencies, which has
brought about significant advances among local authorities as
regards forced displacement.
(FIN/JHINA/HM/CIE)
3 June 2005
