General information

Relations between Colombia and United States of America have been a foreign policy priority since 1822, when the United States recognized the new Republic, and established a diplomatic mission resident in Bogota.

The bilateral relations with the United States are based on a convergence of interest between strategic partners, to be found in co-operation and dialogue, as the fundamental basis of a relationship of for mutual benefit.

Colombia has sought to widen the range of political dialogue and deepen economic relations and investment with its strategic partners, without abandoning traditional components such as security and defence, as is the case of relations with United States.

Central lines of bilateral relations

Colombia-United States High-level Dialogue. This is a political mechanism to diversify the bilateral agenda, and establish an opportunity for meetings between the authorities of both countries, to it in order to expand the agenda and to approach matters of common interest.

This dialogue discusses priority issues through six working groups: Economic and Social Opportunities, Education and Culture, Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Democracy, Human Rights, and Good Government; and Science and Technology.

Five meetings have so far been held in the High-level Dialogue (Bogotá, 25 October 2010; Washington DC, 31 May 2011; Bogotá, 30-31 July 2012; and Washington DC, 28 February 2014 y Bogotá D.C., 27 de abril de 2015), en las cuales se han tratado diversos temas de la amplia agenda bilateral. La última edición del Diálogo de Alto Nivel cobra especial importancia, dado que las prioridades de Colombia en un escenario post-conflicto fueron transversal a los programas y proyectos de cooperación bilateral en todos los grupos de trabajo que sesionaron. Como principales resultados se pueden mencionar la firma de la Declaración Conjunta, mediante la cual se inicia el proceso de ingreso de Colombia al Programa de facilitación de trámites migratorios Global Entry, la firma el anuncio de US$5 millones adicionales en cooperación para el desminado humanitario en Colombia y la suscripción de varios instrumentos en asuntos educativos.

Free-trade agreement. The agreement was signed on 22 November 2006 in Washington DC, and came into force on 15 May 2012. This is a comprehensive instrument in bilateral relations, designed to generate opportunities for employment, and to increase alternatives in trade and investment. El comercio global de Colombia con Estados Unidos en el 2014 alcanzó USD$32.298 millones, siendo el principal socio comercial colombiano.

• Los principales bienes importados desde Estados Unidos en 2014 fueron: refinados de petróleo 23,5%, derivados de petróleo 15,7%, y químicos industriales 9,2%.
• Los principales bienes exportados por Colombia con destino a Estados Unidos son: petróleo y gas 53,6%, metálicas básicas 8,3%, y refinería de petróleo 6,2%.

Bilateral co-operation. United States and Colombia are strategic partners in priority areas of co-operation such as security and defence, the strengthening of human rights and good government. In security matters, the strategic relationship, specifically with the Colombia-United States Regional Security Co-Operation Action Plan, in which the two countries offer triangular Corporation to Central America in order to offer support and strengthen and capacity building to their Armed Forces and police.

Other mechanisms

• Bilateral consular working group. This group was instituted on 3 April 2006, as a formal and permanent mechanism on migration affairs, judicial co-operation, extradition, assistance for detainees, and dialogue regarding visas, amongst other things.
• Joint Action Plan on Racial and Ethnic Equality. Signed on 12 January 2010. The Plan places emphasis on education, however, consideration is given to other issues such as culture, Communications, employment, quality of life, access to justice, the applicable law enforcement against discrimination, and the protection of the environment, and the promotion of territorial, cultural, political and social rights of ethnic and racial groups. La última reunión Plenaria de este mecanismo se llevó a cabo el 28 de abril de 2015 en Bogotá D.C y contó con una amplia participación de los Gobiernos de ambos países.

High-level meetings

• Nueva York, 1 de octubre de 2015. En el marco de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas el Presidente Santos sostuvo una reunión bilateral con el Secretario de Estado John Kerry, en la cual 
• Nueva York, 1 de octubre de 2015. El Presidente Juan Manuel Santos fue homenajeado en los Atlantic Council Awards, donde igualmente sostuvo una reunión con el Vicepresidente de los Estados Unidos, Joe Biden. 
• Bogotá D.C, 28 de abril de 2015. El Presidente Juan Manuel Santos se reunió con el Secretario de Estado Adjunto Antony Blinken, con el fin de abordar importantes temas de la agenda bilateral.
• Bogotá D.C, 27 de abril de 2015. Con el propósito de presidir el V DAN, la Canciller María Ángela Holguín y el Secretario de Estado Adjunto Antony Blinken sostuvieron reunión en el Palacio de San Carlos.
• Ciudad de Panamá, 11 de abril de 2015. Los presidentes de Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, y de Estados Unidos, Barack Obama, intercambiaron impresiones sobre los sobre diversos temas de la agenda bilateral y regional en el marco de la VII Cumbre de las Américas.
• Washington D.C., marzo 18 de 2015. La Canciller María Ángela Holguín, se entrevistó con el Secretario Adjunto de Estado de los Estados Unidos, Antony Blinken, en el marco de la reunión extraordinaria de la OEA para la elección del nuevo Secretario General. Durante el encuentro se abordaron temas de interés bilateral como el Diálogo de Alto Nivel, el proceso de paz y el escenario posconflicto.
• Bogotá D.C., 20 de febrero de 2015. El Presidente de la República, Juan Manuel Santos recibió la visita del Senador Demócrata de los Estados Unidos, Tim Kaine, con el fin de abordar temas de interés bilateral como proceso de paz y escenario posconflicto, desarrollo económico, comercio y cooperación en materia de seguridad.
• 10 october  2014, Meeting of the President of the Republic, Juan Manuel Santos, with the Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
• 25 september 2014, New York. In the context of the 69th Period of Session of the  United Nations General Assembly, Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin met with Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere, Roberta Jacobson.
• 2 august 2014, Bogota Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs,. Meeting of the Foreign Affairs, Maria Angela Holguin, with William Brownfield.
• 20 june 2014 Punta Mita, Mexico, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maria Angela Holguin, met US State Department Counsellor, Thomas Shannon, at the IX Summit of the Pacific Alliance.
• 18 june 2014, Bogota. President, Juan Manuel Santos, met the Vice President of the United States Joe Biden, who was accompanied by Jacob Sullivan, National Security Adviser to the Vice President; Roberta Jacobson, under Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere; Ricardo Zúñiga, Director of the Western Hemisphere of the National Security Council of the White House,; Amos Hochstein, Under Secretary of State for Energy Affairs, and Kevin Whittaker, United StatesAambassador in Bogotá.
• 4 june 2014. Asunci’on. Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Angela Holguin met Assistantt Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs of United States, Roberta Jacobson, at the 44th OAS General Assembly.
• 11 march 2014, Santiago, Chile. At the Presidential Inaugural in Chile, President Juan Manuel Santos, held a meeting with the Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden.
• 28 february 2014, Washington DC. In the context of the IV Meeting of the High-level Dialogue between Colombia and the United States, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Angela Holguin, met US Secretary of State John Kerry.
• 2-4 december 2013, Washington DC. Official visit of President Juan Manuel Santos, to the United States, including a meeting and an official lunch with President Barack Obama. There were meetings that were meetings with the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the US Congress, and a session of the Permanent Council of the OAS and meetings with the most important media in the US, amongst other things. Ha also have a lecture at the University of Virginia.