VZCZCXYZ0085
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #2200/01 1711636
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191636Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3211
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8251
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0573
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JUN LIMA 6275
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 6945
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 1881

UNCLAS BOGOTA 002200 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAID EAGR PTER SNAR CO
SUBJECT:  AFRO-COLOMBIAN AND INDIGENOUS EARMARK - INITIAL PLAN FOR 
IMPLEMENTATION 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  A congressional soft earmark was listed in FY08 
legislation directing the United States Agency for International 
Development (USAID) Colombia to implement economic development 
activities in Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities.  After 
extensive consultations with the GOC, USAID decided a 
regionally-focused strategy would best achieve lasting economic 
impact in targeted communities.  Three strategic areas of the 
country were selected:  Narino, Central Cauca, and the municipality 
of Buenaventura.  Next steps include consultations with regional 
leaders and the communities to ensure local ownership.  USAID 
Mission management plans to brief key congressional staff and 
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) on the strategic use of the 
earmark.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) The FY08 House Appropriations bill for State and Foreign 
operations contains a directive for USAID Colombia to use no less 
than US$15 million for "economic development activities in 
Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities, in consultation with 
Afro-Colombian and indigenous authorities and community members." 
 
¶3.  (U) In order to clarify the scope and limits of the directive, 
the Mission consulted with congressional staffers in March and held 
further discussions with the GOC in April.  The scope was also 
developed through informal consultations with various civil society 
groups.  Activities will be geographically focused to maximize 
impact, with special emphasis on the consultative process to foster 
ownership, sustainability, and participation by targeted 
communities. 
 
Programmatic Focus 
------------------ 
 
¶4.  (U) Due to the limitations of a one-year earmark and the need to 
rapidly initiate activities, the Mission decided to launch new 
Afro-Colombian and indigenous activities under the MIDAS and ADAM 
alternative development programs.  The consultation phase is 
critical to ensure activities respond to community needs and are 
focused on economic impact. 
 
¶5.  (U) In order to effectively respond to both rural and urban 
Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities, two different approaches 
will be integrated: 
 
Urban:  This approach focuses on population centers and is intended 
to create "growth poles" to link economic development and basic 
services around larger urban centers, such as Buenaventura.  Pending 
consultations with the communities, activities may include increased 
access to microfinance, firm-level support to small and medium-sized 
enterprises (SMEs) and business development services (BDS), as well 
as technical assistance to develop and implement basic economic 
development plans and policies. 
 
Rural:  This approach is modeled after a community consultation 
strategy currently being employed in 71 municipalities.  Rural 
initiatives will focus on generating economic opportunities in 
targeted clusters, creating market linkages, and local capacity 
building to enable communities to respond to changing market 
conditions. 
 
Geographic Focus 
---------------- 
 
¶7.  (U) The Mission identified the target regions based on 
geographic locations of Afro-Colombian and/or indigenous 
communities, socio-economic conditions, presence of illegal armed 
groups and/or illicit crops, an overall presence of illegality, 
consultations and prioritization with the Presidential Agency for 
Social Action and International Cooperation (Accion Social). 
Programs will initially focus on Narino (primarily Afro-Colombian), 
Central Cauca (Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities), and 
Buenaventura (primarily Afro-Colombian).  Currently, Narino is the 
GOC's top priority with strong regional leadership in both Narino 
and Cauca.  Our programs will take advantage of the departmental 
plans already in place.  Since the Department of Choco currently 
receives more than US$5 million of USAID assistance, the GOC and 
USAID decided Choco should be targeted during a second phase if 
additional resources become available in FY09 and once the 
approaches have been tested. 
 
Support to the Afro-Colombian Poplulation 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) On May 19, the GOC launched the inter-sectorial commission 
for the advancement of the Afro-Colombian population. The purpose of 
the commission is to evaluate the living standards of 
Afro-Colombians and issue recommendations to the GOC to design 
 
affirmative action-like public policies.  At the request of the 
Vice-President's office and the Ministry of the Interior and 
Justice, USAID will assist the commission in the implementation of 
its operational plan by supporting a series of outreach events, as 
well workshops with Afro-Colombian communities throughout the 
country.  The commission also requested USAID support for an 
assessment of Afro-Colombian living conditions to be conducted by 
Universidad de los Andes. USAID is considering this and other 
requests. 
 
BROWNFIELD