President Gabriel Boric Font: “Chile and Colombia celebrate 200 years of diplomatic relations, 200 years working together to improve the security and well-being of our people”
As part of Colombia’s state visit to Chile, both countries’ presidents established agreements and commitments to work on issues of migration, and energy and economic integration, as well as to continue with the peace process. They then delivered a joint declaration.
Chile’s President Gabriel Boric received a state visit from the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, at La Moneda Palace to commemorate 200 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. At the meeting, they signed a series of agreements on immigration control, energy security, the environment, regional economic integration and scientific collaboration.
In a joint statement made by both leaders, President Boric stated, “Chile and Colombia this year celebrate 200 years of diplomatic relations, 200 years working together to improve the security and well-being of our people, where we share tremendous common challenges.”
The bilateral agenda includes commitments to establish new areas of work that will directly benefit the people who live in both countries. These areas are detailed below:
- Resolve the immigration situation. The presidents established a commitment to work on issues of regular and irregular immigration, especially among regional bodies. This will include specialized technical cooperation programs on biometric identification, the exchange of statistical and administrative information between the competent institutions, and actions to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
- Energy security. We will promote energy integration between both countries to ensure better access to energy through a commitment to develop and incorporate renewable energy into the matrices, in particular green hydrogen.
- Regional economic integration. We will continue to support regional economic integration through the different multilateral organizations that make up the ecosystem in South America and Latin America.
- Continue supporting the peace process in Colombia. In this regard, President Boric stated, “I want to highlight that we have continued with Chile’s role in overseeing dialogue between Colombia’s Government and the National Liberation Army, the ELN. I thank the Colombian Government for the invitation, and I reiterate our country’s unrestricted support for this process to come to a successful conclusion.”
- Antarctic collaboration. We share a commitment to continue collaborating on scientific and logistical matters in the Antarctic. Chile will therefore host this year a special visit from Colombia to the Antarctic base on King George Island, where our country will provide logistical support to the Colombian Antarctic Program.
- Environmental protection. To prevent, reduce and eliminate plastic pollution, especially in the marine environment, we will begin conversations with international groups to establish a legally-binding international instrument.
The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, referred to the climate emergency that we are currently experiencing in his statement. “Both countries experience the daily challenge of dealing with the consequences of the climate emergency, including the proliferation of droughts, floods, landslides and fires. These phenomena reveal the need to respond urgently, based on the principles of equity, justice, cooperation and sustainability, with a human rights approach,” the President stated.