H.E. Mr. Néstor Osorio:

I thank the Chairman and committee members for receiving me and my deputy. As the Colombian ambassador to Ireland, it is a great honour to attend the meeting and have the opportunity to exchange views on the current situation in Colombia, the way we are shaping our future and the important responsibilities and commitments the government of President Juan Manuel Santos has been undertaking. After four years of government, he was re-elected last June for another term of four years, starting in August.

The Colombian Government's main programme has been marked by the clear inclination to put together the best economic and social conditions, while building on the work done in the previous eight years to create conditions of security, thereby creating an atmosphere of trust and confidence for investors and an environment that is friendly to foreigners interested in developing businesses in Colombia. As the Chairman mentioned, we have been trying to move past the difficult years we endured in the 1980s and early 1990s, while projecting a mood of reconciliation and seeking a solution to a conflict that has affected Colombia for more than 50 years. Ours is a well known case and the only remaining internal conflict of this nature. As the committee is aware, a clear resolution of a peace process that will finally give a solution and provide a substantial impulse for the country's economy will represent a major achievement. For this reason, the Colombian Government's political approach, even during the presidential campaign, has had peace at its centre.

Needless to say, in moving ahead with the process in a careful and well prepared way, we made important references to what had happened in this part of the world. Ireland and Northern Ireland's contribution has helped and advised us in determining how to tackle the question of how to begin negotiations with groups that were reputed to be terrorists, drug traffickers and, of course, lawless and that were conspiring to revert the democratic system of Colombia, one of the oldest in the American hemisphere. Our democracy has been very stable.

During the well-known time of military rule in Latin America, Colombia had a minor dictator, compared with the others who were around at the time, for only three years, 1954 to 1957. Today the Colombian people have tremendous hopes of concluding the peace process. I will not go into much detail but simply remind the committee that we managed to agree an agenda of negotiations with Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC. The Ejército de Liberación Nacional, ELN, the other guerrilla group, is also entering negotiations, and there are secret talks to bring them to the table, if not to the same table in Havana, to another one.

Three important points on the agenda have already been agreed but have to be ratified once everything is negotiated: how to deal with the rural problem and reform, how to establish the future of political participation of these groups in Colombian life, and how to deal with dismantling of the coca fields and the drug trafficking in which FARC has been involved. The two last hurdles, which are decisive for the process, are how to establish the ceasefire, organise the rendering of arms and verify the identification and dismantling of mines planted by the guerrillas. The second is how to enter into a process of transitional justice where we can find a common point to cope with accountability and make clear there is no impunity but at the same time work on a reconciliation process that will help unify society again. This is a big challenge for the process because it is well known that the guerrillas have committed, and some of their commanders have been condemned for, crimes against humanity. This is a very serious matter that needs to be recognised. We know the international community is following this process very closely. We will need international co-operation and understanding when we reach an agreement.

When that has been reached, international co-operation will be important for the post-conflict era. President Santos is coming to Europe at the beginning of November where he will visit five capitals in one week to talk to the Heads of State to try to organise and pledge an approach. We need a specific long-term plan to finance, assist, follow and accompany the post-conflict process in Colombia. It is a major task.

As a member of the United Nations Security Council I was involved in part of the process in African countries and other places, for example, in Timor Leste, to make the transition from conflict to post-conflict. We have the advantage, as distinct from some of those countries, that our institutions are very serious, we have a working democracy and an economy that is internationally regarded as orthodox and well-managed. Our rate of inflation is lower than 3%. We have increased the labour force, creating 2.5 million jobs, as formally verified, in the past four years. We are one of the developing countries that can qualify globally as an emerging market, having accomplished all the millennium development goals, established in 2000. We have been at the forefront in promoting the sustainable development goals that will be an essential part of the new world economy model post-2015. This is one of the most important projects in the United Nations. Next year the UN will adopt the sustainable development goals approach for the next generation. Foreign investors are sympathetic to our economy because of how it is organised. Last year we broke the record with $16 billion of foreign investment in Colombia. In the first semester of this year we achieved 5.4% growth and project a sustained 5% growth which, compared with the Latin American average of 2%, is a success story.

Colombia, and the government of President Santos, have placed special emphasis on education and improving the lives of people in poverty. President Santos got more votes in poor places where social work was developed. That is rewarding for a politician because it shows that the government has addressed important issues.

The international community wants to analyse how human rights issues are developing. In a conflict such as the one we have had there have been excesses and violations. That is why President Santos put a clear approach and policy to improve and get this right at the top of the agenda. International agencies, including the UN and an American organisation for the states in the area, have recognised an improvement in the way the unions and human rights issues are addressed. Part of this is included in the framework for the peace process, identification and recognition of the victims, and concrete steps towards recognising their human rights. Three years ago Colombia passed an important law of victim reparation and land restitution. I invited the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to visit when the law was being enacted. He has used this law as a reference point for other parts of the world. I have distributed a document showing how the agencies organising the government work very positively. There is still work to do. We are addressing that responsibly and are moving ahead in order to create the necessary economic, social and human rights environment that meets the highest standards.

We are formal candidates for membership of the OECD. That implies having minimum basic indicators to show that the economy is well managed, social issues are well addressed and people’s rights are fully recognised. I am confident we are moving ahead and that Ireland will co-operate with us in this.

The free trade agreement makes a clear case for us in terms of the internationalisation of the country. President Santos has made clear from the outset the need to have a base for Colombia to act on the international stage.

With the size and capacity of the country we were very privileged when the Government of Colombia was elected to the UN Security Council. I have had the honour of being the permanent representative to the UN and this allowed me to contribute to addressing the substantial problems of the world and be part of many fora. I was elected president of the economic and social council of the UN, another opportunity to put forward the goodwill of Colombia to be a valued actor and participant in the international scene.

When we move ahead with a clear policy of opening up markets, creating free trade agreements and having free trade conditions, we are inviting our partners, such as Ireland, to be part of our development and to contribute to that development. We are inviting investors to do business in our country. We are creating an environment by taking a new approach, and the famous Pacific Alliance - Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, the four like minded countries are in tune on free trade agreements, protection of foreign investment and double taxation. Foreign investors and those who participate in our economic life have the opportunity to access our market individually or the four markets in the group, which together are bigger than Brazilian market, the colossus of Latin America. We have free trade agreements with the United States, Korea and Japan. The expansion of the possibilities of business is substantial. I invite Ireland to give favourable consideration to the accession and the approval of the free trade agreement. At present 17 countries of the European Union have approved this agreement and I hope that Ireland will join these ranks very soon.

I am delighted to be here, and am ready and available to talk to members as many times as they deem necessary. Even if it is not necessary, it will be a pleasure for me to come and have the opportunity to develop this friendship and to continue to work in the cultural, social, educational and economic fields. We know we have friends here and Ireland should know it has friends in Colombia