This Thursday, the Mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López, accompanied the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on a tour of the Botanical Garden of Bogotá. During the meeting, she thanked the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for their continued support.
This aid has proven to be fundamental when moving from humanitarian assistance to the social and economic inclusion of the migrant population in Bogotá. Mayor López re-iterated her intention to renew Plan Colombia, an ambitious program that focuses on sustainable infrastructure, the mitigation of the impacts of climate change and social inclusion of migrants, young and old. Initiatives like this stand as examples for social peace and national reconciliation. “We thank the US Secretary of State for his visit to Colombia, for his support to Colombia, to Bogotá. Particularly on the issue of climate change and the social inclusion of young people and migrants.”
Mayor López reflects. “We hope that they continue to keep in mind the community on a local level and the social initiatives that contribute to its progress. Not to mention, the conservation of biodiversity. Hopefully, they will continue to support the efforts of the Bogotá government and Colombia so that we can move forward together.”
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For his part, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Carlos Eduardo Correa, recalled that Colombia is currently working on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; the protection of marine and terrestrial wildlife; the eradication of de-forestation and the conversion of the country to complete carbon neutrality by 2050.
Minister Correa had this to say, “We have to create a new social, economic and environmental model, in which we have to bring the public and private sector, the academy and each and every one of us together as citizens. in this, the United States has played an important role.”
In response, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, stated that “Colombia is a country that shows extraordinary leadership to preserve the planet, and Bogotá, a city that does the same. Both carry out work on the rural and urban level that move towards a sustainable future.”
Secretary Blinken also referred to the harmful impact that various communities in the country have faced due to climate change. He confirmed that it is of vital importance to carry out joint actions with Colombia to face the global climate crisis. “We know that there are some communities that have been negatively impacted by the climate crisis in a much stronger way, and generally they are the very people who have done the least to cause it.”
Secretary Blinken went on to say.” One of the main reasons why I wanted to come here today is because the United States is deeply committed to fighting the climate crisis, and we want to do it in co-operation with Colombia.”
