U.S. Security Cooperation with Colombia
The United States greatly values our strategic partnership with Colombia, which is demonstrated by its status as a Major Non-NATO Ally. The United States and Colombia have maintained diplomatic relations for over two centuries, and our strategic partnership continues to contribute to greater regional security, stability, and prosperity. Our security partnership with Colombia, one of the oldest democracies in Latin America, is built on shared democratic values and is centered on promoting good governance, inclusive and accountable security institutions, and supporting Colombia on its journey to peace and security. The U.S.-Colombia security partnership has been vital for promoting regional stability and security, primarily through the provision of security assistance and the prioritization of effective security sector governance.
U.S. Security Assistance to Colombia
The United States provides security assistance to Colombia to promote Colombia’s long-term stability, strengthen its security capabilities, and boost regional security. This security assistance, which totaled over $90 million in FY 2023, includes funding from a variety of sources. Security ties are an important element of the U.S.-Colombia relationship. U.S. security cooperation with Colombia, including through this security assistance, helps advance enduring peace and security while ensuring that Colombia remains a key strategic partner in the region. The United States and Colombia collaborate on issues of shared importance, particularly enhancing the capabilities and professionalism of the Colombian armed forces, including its ongoing military professionalization; improving joint interoperability in line with NATO norms and standards; strengthening civilian control of defense policy; bolstering its cybersecurity capabilities; and implementing a holistic counternarcotics strategy. The United States prioritizes effective, resilient, and accountable security sector governance to build enduring security partnerships around the world, including with Colombia.
Foreign Military Financing
The majority of U.S. security assistance to Colombia was provided through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. From FY 2017 to FY 2023, the U.S. provided approximately $278 million in FMF. FMF assists the Government of Colombia to responsibly build its defensive capabilities while simultaneously investing in the U.S. defense industrial base, supporting U.S. jobs and cementing our security cooperation.
From FY 2020 to FY 2024, the Department also provided $8.69 million in International Military Education and Training (IMET) funding to Colombia, providing professional military education and training to military students to increase professionalization, build capacity in key areas, enhance joint interoperability, create a better understanding of the United States, and grow lasting military-to-military relationships.
Conventional Weapons Destruction Assistance
Colombia remains the most heavily landmine affected country in the Americas. Since FY 2017, the United States has provided $147 million in Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs and Conventional Weapons Destruction funding (NADR-CWD) to support humanitarian demining in Colombia. These funds support Colombia’s Office of the Counselor Commissioner for Peace to address landmines and improvised explosive devices that threaten the livelihood of Colombians throughout the country, in particular farmers and indigenous communities. In FY 2023, $21 million in NADR-CWD funds supported explosive ordnance risk education and landmine and IED removal operations in several of Colombia’s most heavily affected departments. Land returned to safe use through demining allows Colombian farmers and indigenous communities to restart agricultural production, increases the availability and diversity of sustainable food sources, and contributes to both economic and cultural stability.
International Peacekeeping
Since World War II, Colombia has supported international collective security through the United Nations, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai, and the and the UN Protection Force in the former Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR). Currently, Colombia has four experts on mission (three of whom are female) deployed to the UN peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and Western Sahara (MINURSO), and one male staff officer deployed in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Additionally, Colombia has 275 personnel in the Sinai.
Colombia is an inactive partner country in the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) having received less than $200,000 GPOI Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) funds from 2010-2016. With the ongoing UN police mission in Colombia since 2016 (UN Verification Mission in Colombia) it is unlikely Colombia will be able to contribute any significant capability to additional international peace operations in the foreseeable future.
Arms Sales and Defense Trade
The United States and Colombia enjoy a defense trade partnership that advances U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by responsibly building Colombia’s defensive capabilities, promoting inclusive institutions and good governance, and improving Colombia’s capacity to address shared challenges.
The United States has approximately $71.6 million in active sales cases for U.S.-origin defense articles and services to Colombia under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
FMS are financed through a combination of national funds and U.S. security assistance to Colombia, including through the Foreign Military Financing and Building Partnership Capacity & Foreign Assistance programs. Under FMS, the Department of State determines which countries may purchase defense articles, and the Department of Defense executes these arms transfers.
For FY 2021 to FY 2023, the United States authorized the permanent export of approximately $172.37 million in defense articles (including agreements) to Colombia via Direct Commercial Sales (DCS). These sales are negotiated privately between foreign end-users and U.S. companies.
U.S. Defense Cooperation with Colombia
As a member of the Rio Pact, Colombia is recognized as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA). In 2022, the President designated Colombia as a major non-NATO Ally (MNNA), which further strengthened military ties between the United States and Colombia. As an MNNA, Colombia is eligible for FMF loans or guarantees, which would expand their ability to acquire major U.S. weapons systems.
Colombia’s Security & Defense Agreements
The United States and Colombia have several defense-related agreements [5 MB], including an arrangement to facilitate the exchange of data on known or suspected terrorists as well as an Acquisition and Cross-servicing agreement (2012). These documents establish a framework for an enhanced security partnership and defense cooperation between the United States and Colombia.
Colombia’s Partnership with NATO
Colombia became a NATO partner in 2017, the first country in Latin America. Colombia’s cooperation with NATO is important for improving the capabilities and interoperability of the Colombian armed forces and its ability to address shared security challenges. In 2021, Colombia and NATO agreed to a new partnership program which has enhanced dialogue and cooperation in key areas such as interoperability, military training and exercises, cyber security, and others.
Colombia cooperates with NATO in demining projects, maritime security, and military training to improve joint interoperability. This defense cooperation includes Colombia’s support for NATO-led operations and missions, including Ocean Shield (2015).
Colombia plays an important role in humanitarian demining, including in the areas of countering improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and counternarcotics. In 2019, Colombia joined NATO’s network of Partnership Training and Education Centers (PTECs), enabling Colombia to train NATO member personnel in humanitarian and military demining.
Colombia has a history of providing support for NATO-led operations and missions, including in the areas of maritime security and joint naval interoperability. In 2015, Colombia supported NATO Operation Ocean Shield to counter piracy off the Horn of Africa.
Colombia’s Assistance to Ukraine
Colombia has signaled its solidarity with the people of Ukraine by providing humanitarian assistance, including its provision of de-mining training to Ukrainian soldiers.
Colombia’s Membership in International Organizations
The United States and Colombia belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the Organization of American States, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), among other international fora. The United States and Colombia routinely cooperate to defend human rights and mitigate regional humanitarian crisis to include addressing regional migration challenges, counternarcotics, and more. Fuente Departamento de Estado de los EstadosUnidos. En proceso de traduccion al español.
