Sub-Saharan Africa gathers all the countries located south of the Sahara, all sharing a similar historic legacy and considered an area of strategic importance. The region has faced different political, social and economic problems and witnessed multiple conflict resolution processes, making of it a region with invaluable experiences.
The current “Guidelines for Colombian Foreign Politics” state the mandate of “sharing experiences in important issues for African development”.
Colombia’s experience has been shared through the programs regarding Disarming, Demobilization and Reintegration allowing the development of important progress in terms of cooperation with countries such as Liberia Somalia, Eritrea, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Angola, among others.
Colombia makes institutional presence in sub-Saharan Africa through the Embassies in South Africa and Kenya.
SOUTH AFRICA
Diplomatic relations between the two governments were established on April 12, 1994. Colombia has its Embassy at Pretoria and the Embassy of South Africa in Caracas is concurrent to Colombia.
The mutual interest of the two countries has been expressed through the High Level visits of the South African government: in December 2010, by the Ministry for the Americas and the Caribbean Mxakato-Diseko, and in July 2011 the technical visit led by Vice-Minister of the Presidency of the Monitoring and Assessment Office, Hon. Dinah Pule.
In recent years, the relations between the two countries have become very relevant. South Africa has become an important investor in the brewing industry, mining, real estate and construction.
The positive trade balance with South Africa is also positive for Colombia, being the main exports coffee, oil, ferronickel, agricultural products, industrial and agro industrial products, light industry, clothing, textiles, editorial and plastic products, basic industry, metallurgy, basic chemicals, paper, machinery and equipment, automotive industry and weapons.
Imports are represented by agricultural products, mining, industrial and agro-industrial products, light industry, textiles, leather and plastic products, soaps, cosmetics, basic industry, metallurgy basic chemicals, paper, machinery and equipment, automotive industry and weapons.
Meetings
- January 28, 2011: meeting between the president of the Republic of Colombia Dr. JUAN MANUEL SANTOS and the president of the Republic of South Africa Mr. JACOB ZUMA. DAVOS agenda. The objective was to agree on issues of common interest at the Security Council in 2011
- December 2, 2010: official visit of the Director General for the Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and South African Cooperation, Ms. Mxakato Diseko. One of the issues discussed was the status of six agreement drafts presented by Colombia and currently under consideration by the African country.
- September 20- 22, 2010: 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly New York - USA
KENYA
Diplomatic relations between Colombia and Kenya started in 1975. The Embassy of Colombia is concurrent to the governments of the Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, stated that the commercial relationships with Kenya in 2010 showed an increase in the positive balance of trade. Exports are basically primary products: agricultural, industrial and agro industrial products, light industry, textiles, editorial, soaps and cosmetics products, basic industry, basic chemicals, machinery and equipment and automotive industry.
Colombia has shared with Kenya different experiences in urban design and public transportation, bike paths, education and prospective businesses for young entrepreneurs.
Meetings
- March 2009. Visit of two delegations of Kenya to Colombia. The first delegation was from the Ministry of Metropolitan Development of Nairobi. During the visit, the Assistant Minister Ms. Elizabeth Ongoro Masha and the Ambassador to Kenya in the United States, concurrent to Colombia, Mr. Peter Ogego, visited Bogota and had the opportunity to observe the Transmilenio System, and the District´s Center for Response to Emergencies, a Center for Integral Care to vulnerable populations of the city, as well as the Project for Habitat Recovery of Usme. They also participated in working sessions with the District’s Office of Education, Health, Government and Habitat. The second delegation led by the Ministry of Cooperative Development of Kenya, had the purpose of becoming acquainted with the Colombian experience in the areas of planting and commercializing coffee.
- July 16, 2008. Francisco Santos Calderón, Vice-President of Colombia visited Kenya to celebrate Colombia’s National Day; during his stay he visited the International Mine Action Training Center IMATC. He also gave an interview in regards to the recent actions of the Army and the celebration of Colombia’s National Day, July 20th. During the interview, the owner of channel K 24 was present. Likewise, he held conversations with the Vice President of Kenya, Kalonzo Musyoka, regarding the National Day of Colombia, and they talked about current events and the future of bilateral relations.
Agreements in Force
April 6, 1977. The “Nairobi Commercial Agreement” which entered into force on August 29, 1984. This Agreement was signed before Colombia entered the GATT in 1984. It is very general and therefore, harmless regarding the commitments of Colombia with the WTO, agency that regulates the commercial operations between the two countries.
