<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Council of Ministers authorized this past Tuesday a combined financing to the Republic of Colombia for a government project to help the rural population in conditions of poverty and extreme poverty.</strong></h4> The objective of this operation is to help finance the so-called 'Project for the Development of Sustainable Productive and Business Capacities, Rurality for Life', an initiative of the Colombian Government to sustainably and resiliently strengthen the productive and income-generating capacity of the rural population in conditions of poverty and extreme poverty. The project, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, plans to be developed in 214 municipalities in 12 departments of Colombia. Its objective, according to the Colombian authorities, is "to contribute to improving living conditions, income and employment in the poorest rural territories of the country", with special attention to the development of productive potential, social capital, the capacities of rural youth and the food security of families and communities. The beneficiaries are small farmers, peasants, indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombian communities, families headed by women, rural youth, victims of the armed conflict and forcibly displaced rural families. The combined financing authorized by the Council of Ministers consists of a loan for a maximum amount of 35 million US dollars (32.4 million euros) and a grant for technical assistance of up to two million euros, both charged to the Fund for the Promotion of Development (FONPRODE). In addition, the Council of Ministers has authorized a payment of up to 445,000 US dollars (almost 412,000 euros) to the International Fund for Agricultural Development, also charged to FONPRODE, to finance the costs of designing and supervising the project. According to the Government, the operation is in line with the geographical and strategic priorities of Spanish Cooperation and contributes mainly to the goals of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) one, “End of poverty”; SDG two, “Zero Hunger”; and SDG five, “Gender Equality”. Spanish cooperation with Colombia is embodied in the Colombia-Spain Country Partnership Framework (MAP), a shared strategy towards common goals and visions of human development, reduction of inequalities and peacebuilding. Colombia is the country in Latin America and the Caribbean that receives the largest volume of Spanish ODA, with a significant presence of decentralized cooperation (approximately half of the ODA). The current MAP 2020-2024 includes among its priorities sustainable productive projects aimed at victims of the conflict, the empowerment of women, rural development and access to markets and decent income for young people.
