German contribution to EU trust fund for Colombia, 2nd contribution

completed

The FC contribution to the second phase of the EU Trust Fund for the Colombian Peace Process rounds off the development cooperation program to support peace development in Colombia with a contribution to a project in which several of Colombia's development partners are involved. This means that the scope for German development cooperation in the module is considerably limited, but it can send important (political) signals of cooperation for peace in conjunction with other development partners in Colombia. With the additional financial contribution in the second phase, the total German participation increases to EUR 6 million, meaning that the Federal Republic remains the most important bilateral donor to the fund, together with the Netherlands and Spain. The EUTF is aimed at the rural population, increasingly in the 170 PDET districts of Colombia that are particularly affected by the violent conflict. Of the 73 districts that the EUTF portfolio included at the end of 2018, 37 belong to this group. The fund finances individual projects in a total of 16 departments in Colombia, of which 4 (Caquetá, Putumayo, Nariño, Guaviare) are considered priority. An additional main field of action of the fund is aimed at the reincorporation of former FARC-EP combatants in the transition zones (ETCR) established for them. The second German contribution to the trust fund is made available by signing the contribution certificate by KfW and BMZ, a debit note from the EU, payment of the contribution of EUR 3.0 million in a single tranche and ongoing monitoring of the fund's activities. The administration of the FC contribution is transferred to DEVCO as administrator and trustee, which is responsible for the project monitoring function and reporting on the fund's conduct. DEVCO, for its part, has commissioned an independent auditor (Ernst & Young) to carry out the annual external audit of the EUTF finances.