Testimony of Adolfo A. Franco, Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, USAID, Hearing of the House International Relations Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, November 18, 2004

Testimony of
Adolfo A. Franco
Assistant Administrator,
Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean
United States Agency for International Development

Before

Committee on International Relations
U.S. House of Representatives
Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere

Thursday, November 18, 2004

"Aid to Colombia – The European Role in the Fight Against Narco-terrorism"

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the committee, for the opportunity to testify before the House Committee on International Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

Mr. Chairman, the U.S. Agency for International Development is proud of its contribution and participation in the US government efforts to promote peace and democracy in Colombia and to decrease the flow of drugs into the United States.

USAID is working toward the achievement of these goals by supporting three broad and mutually supporting objectives:

Support for democratic institution building and the rule of law;

Support for alternative development; and

Support for internally displaced persons

Today I would like to concentrate on alternative development. The United States believes that alternative development is an essential component to overall eradication policy that includes aerial spraying. In contrast, most European Governments consider alternative development to be an effective substitute for aerial spraying. They see alternative development as complementary to law enforcement measures. However, these same governments recognize that European funded alternative development activities in Colombia have not yet reached the scale of national level impact.

And national level impact is what is needed. According to the World Drug Report 2004, recently published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, some 13 million people around the world are affected by cocaine consumption. Over 25 percent (approximately 3.34 million) of these consumers are in Europe, with approximately 90 percent in Western Europe.

The United States Government continues to urge representatives from the European Union member countries and the European Union to increase their support for counter narcotics programs in Colombia.

USAID’s counter narcotics programs demonstrate what is possible to achieve through national level impact programs. In coordination with the private sector, USAID is working to improve access to and expand the efficient operation of markets and facilitate sustainable and broad-based income and employment growth in strategically targeted areas of the country. Expanding economic and social alternatives will lead to a sustainable expansion of viable alternatives to illicit crop production.

Initially, USAID programs concentrated in Putumayo and Caquetá, areas that contained Colombia’s densest coca cultivation, but have now expanded into other departments with high incidence or threat of coca cultivation. This year, our efforts have already supported more than 10,000 hectares of legal crops, for a cumulative total of 49,000 hectares since 2000. These activities have benefited more than 38,000 families.

Our alternative development program is giving families like Bertha Ardila and her sons an alternative to the violent coca trade. Nine months after joining the alternative development program the Ardila family have replaced their coca crop with 24 hectares of corn, yucca and cocoa. In fact they are planning to build a stable and buy cows to start a milk production operation with their own resources. The success of our alternative development program is spreading as reflected by Mrs. Ardila comments, "Our neighbors used to call us crazy for our decision. Now, they ask us about the program and how they can join".

Alternative development also includes activities that improve Colombia’s rural infrastructure, so that licit crops can be transported and marketed. This year alone, over 200 infrastructure projects were completed for a total of almost 900 since 2001. Under alternative development we have built more than 90 schools, 40 water systems, and 80 municipal buildings -- ranging from homes for the elderly to business centers and community centers. Projects completed also include 195 sewage projects and 35 roads. Democracy and legitimate, accountable businesses continue to take root with 21 citizen oversight committees having been formed last quarter, for a cumulative total of 220 municipalities with improved public services.

Trade is also an important element in bringing economic stability to Colombia. Under the Colombian Agribusiness Partnership Program (CAPP), USAID is providing resources to finance a range of competitive agro-processing and cultivation expansion activities; and anticipates leveraging upwards over $200 million in private sector financing in the program overall over the next three years. This program is also supporting securitized bond issuances designed to provide sustainable capital market financing for long-term commercial crop production and processing projects. Additionally, USAID under the Colombian Forestry Project is working with farmers and agro-forestry businesses to develop employment-intensive and environmentally-sustainable industry chain linkages in the forestry sector. Trade and the forestry industry are areas of potential collaboration with the European Union and European member countries.

USAID-sponsored alternative development projects in Colombia are also reinforcing the core functions and values that underpin Colombia’s democratic civil society. Program beneficiaries are uniting and forming associations to ensure progress achieved continues after USAID funding has ended. The Association "Building a Future," for instance, comprised of 14 small farmer organizations, representing 388 families from Mocoa, recently gained national attention when they were invited to speak at a forum in Bucaramanga sponsored by the influential Colombian non-governmental organization, Planeta Paz. The President of the Association, Libardo Martinez, when speaking with other local leaders, stressed the importance of community work and organization. According to Martinez, "...the Putumayo experience has become the reference point for progress for the other departments and for the rest of the world." Colombians are increasingly proud of the future they are creating, using rule of law and the legitimate economy as a pivot point.

I can’t leave without addressing USAID’s achievements in democratic support and support to internally displaced persons.

Building democratic institution and strengthening the rule of law are key elements in creating a stable, prosperous, and drug–free Colombia. We have established 37 Justice Houses (casas de justicia), which increase access to justice for poor Colombians. Make no mistake: this is not a small victory or goal -- it is at the very heart, in our view, of sustainable progress and U.S. support. So far, these casas de justicia have handled over 2.8 million cases, easing the burden on the over-taxed judicial system. Remarkably, the Department of Justice and USAID "Administration of Justice" initiatives have also established 35 new Oral Trial courtrooms and trained over 10,000 lawyers, judges and public defenders in new oral legal procedures designed to reduce impunity and quicken the judicial process. Similarly, an "Early Warning System" is up and running, which monitors potential conditions that might trigger human rights violations and thereby provides warnings of impending threats. In addition, 11 new mobile satellite units of the national human rights unit have been arrayed around Colombia to provide a more immediate response to allegations of human rights violations in the most remote areas of the country. Together, these projects are creating a civil and human rights protection infrastructure -- a climate of respect -- so that the Colombian government may be able to prevent or be more responsive to human rights violations. Support for the Inter-American Human Rights Commission or the Vice President’s Human Right’s Observatory are two areas that may be of interest to the European Union. The EU and member countries historically have supported democracy and human rights programs.

Also on human rights, the Colombian government "protection program" has been expanded to include protection for mayors, local human rights officials, council members, municipal human rights workers, medical missions, journalists, and former mayors. In the third quarter of FY 2004, more than 40 individuals received protection measures for a cumulative total of 3,540. During this quarter, ten additional offices are in the process of being armored, for a cumulative total of 87 offices protected as of June 2004. Further, a professional police corps has been trained and equipped to protect judicial personnel, witnesses, and government officials. By providing protection to these individuals and offices, we are playing an increasingly important role in ensuring the ability of Colombia’s leaders, human rights defenders, and local officials, to conduct activities in as secure an environment as possible.

Finally, we provide emergency and longer-term assistance to vulnerable groups, particularly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). This assistance, administered by USAID and the State Department’s Bureau for Population, Migration, and Refugees includes food, shelter, psychosocial assistance, physical and mental health services, community strengthening, income and employment generation, urban assistance, education, and rehabilitation of child ex-combatants. It also strengthens the Colombian agency responsible for IDP coordination, protection, and border monitoring. The program runs more than 300 projects in 25 departments and 200 municipalities throughout the country.

USAID through its IDP program has helped many people like Ruth Dary Ortiz realize their potential. Ruth lives in the run-down neighborhood called "Nelson Mandela which is home to displaced families who have fled the fighting and instability of the countryside. Armed fighters broke into her home and killed her brother. When her family fled their village and moved to Cartagena , they arrived with no money or prospects of a job. Today, Ruth is enrolled in a 6-month course in internet and computer maintenance supported by Entra 21, a regional youth employment program which is funded by USAID. She credits the program as being more than just a program but an opportunity in life."

Last quarter, IDP programs collectively aided more than 130,000 persons for a cumulative total of over 1.9 million persons since 2001. During the same period, more than 7,500 jobs were created for IDPs and other vulnerable persons, such as youth at risk of displacement or recruitment by illegal armed combatants. To date, IDP programs have provided vocational and skill development training for nearly 52,000 IDPs and created over 65,000 jobs. Equally important, access to education was increased during the last quarter for more than 900 displaced and other vulnerable children for a total of 164,840 recipients since the program began. Finally, more than 200 families who were willing and able to safely return to their original communities were assisted last quarter, for a cumulative total of 19,535 families, or over 97,000 individuals since 2001. The IDP Program also assisted 170 additional child ex-combatants during the last quarter. By providing viable life and employment options, the program discourages families from taking up cultivation of illicit crops. The European Union member countries have supported activities in support of indigenous peoples and to help prevent trafficking in persons. Continued support in these areas is likely to be of interest to the member states.

Despite these significant accomplishments, the job is not complete and the program continues to evolve in response to changing political, economic and social conditions. There are windows of opportunities where additional European assistance will make a difference. The United States Government will continue to take advantage of every opportunity to encourage our European partners to increase their contributions and support in the fight against the illicit narcotics trade to create a lasting peace in Colombia.

Thank you Mr. Chairman for the opportunity to appear before you and the Members of the Subcommittee this afternoon. It would be a pleasure to respond to any questions you or others Members may have.

As of November 19, 2004, this document was also available online at http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/108/fra111804.htm