The United States Congress approved the Appropriations Law for Fiscal Year 2022. There, Colombia was assigned a cooperation fund of 471.3 million of dollars.
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“These resources reach issues of social development, rural development, alternative development, but also strengthen justice, the fight against crime“, said the Colombian ambassador to the United States, Juan Carlos Pinzón.
According to the senior official, the resources are for the Afro-descendant and indigenous populations of the country and, also, to strengthen the Military Forces and processes such as demining.
The ambassador stressed that “a good part of these resources will be left to a following administration in Colombia“.
Compared to the allocated budget for 2021, there was an increase of 10 million dollars. Also, $17.5 million more than what the Joe Biden administration had requested for this year.
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The President Ivan Duque assured that the highest assignment in the last decade of Colombia, is a sample of “the excellent relations of cooperation between our countries and confirms that we are the most important ally of the United States. in the hemisphere.”
The president assured that the investments will be made in the fight against drug trafficking and care for the most vulnerable.
With the allocation of the highest budget of the decade for Colombia, by the Government of President @POTUS @JoeBidenthe excellent cooperative relations between our countries are ratified and it is confirmed that we are the most important ally of the United States in the hemisphere.
– Ivan Duke ?? (@IvanDuque) March 15, 2022
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Likewise, the law that was already signed by the president of the United States, removes certain amendments promoted by some congressmen of that country. Among them, the prohibition of assistance to Esmad; the negative report on the retired soldiers of Colombia, after the assassination of the president of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse; a 30% retention of funds in the anti-narcotics account, and a provision that sought to increase the retention of the International Military Financing account by 10%.
BRIEFCASE
With information from EL TIEMPO*
