00:10A very special greeting to everyone tuning in to this new installment of El Espectador Interviews.
00:16Today I am joined by two very special guests to talk about Colombia's relationship with a very, very European ally.
00:22important for our country.
00:24This is the Swedish ambassador, Maria Kramer. Ambassador, welcome and thank you very much for being on El Espectador Interviews.
00:30Thank you so much. It's a great pleasure to be here. I'm very happy.
00:33And we are also joined by Estefan Smedby, the former head of bilateral development cooperation at the same embassy. Estefan,
00:39Thank you so much for being here and welcome.
00:41Thank you very much. It was a pleasure.
00:42Well, Ambassador, I would like to begin by asking you, in this context, why Colombia is of interest to Sweden.
00:49Well, Sweden and Colombia have a long relationship, don't they? After all, this year we're celebrating 152 years of cooperation, or rather,
00:58diplomatic relations and I believe that cooperation is an important part of this for us.
01:05So, here in Colombia there's a fairly large Swedish presence. There are Swedish actors in civil society, there are companies
01:16And we have a very deep, very broad collaboration, and cooperation is an important part of this.
01:24Okay, I'd like to ask you, Estefan, what are the priorities of the new cooperation strategy with Colombia, and what details can you give us in advance?
01:30I believe the new strategy will continue in certain areas where we have a long tradition of working,
01:38such as the issues of peace and security, gender equality, human rights, democracy, anti-corruption, and so on, right?
01:45And they're also going to give us a little more emphasis, more focus on areas that are relatively newer and
01:53which are about working with the private sector, involving the private sector, mobilizing resources and seeking, let's say, more
02:02The catalytic effect of cooperation, isn't it?
02:07So, it's going to be a combination of continuity and some new features as well.
02:12Okay, so I'd like to ask you both, why in an environment that seems so difficult, so hostile, so challenging
02:19for international cooperation such as the current one,
02:21Given that we have seen cuts to international aid and humanitarian assistance, why is Sweden choosing to invest?
02:28through Colombia?
02:29Yes, I don't know, I don't know, who wants to?
02:33Yes, no, I'll start.
02:35And perhaps that's precisely why, right?
02:38I believe that when we are faced with a situation, let's say, where we really need allies, right?
02:47And Sweden and Colombia are allies in that way.
02:50We can work together on many important issues.
02:53We work on multilateral issues, values that we share, and in a more challenging context, that is even more valuable.
03:02Do you want to add anything?
03:03No, I think we need to remember that Sweden is one of the few countries that reaches the goal of
03:08allocate 0.7% of GDP to development, cooperation, and progress.
03:15And I think that reflects a broad political and popular consensus in favor of a policy of cooperation.
03:26generous to development, isn't it?
03:28It's a long-standing tradition in Sweden, dating back 50 or 60 years, and that continues.
03:34Then, of course, there are differences in the areas that are emphasized and the priorities that are set, but at the bottom there is a
03:43consensus and a strong commitment from Sweden.
03:47Well, we are four years away from reaching 2030, which is this year, then, the target for the agenda of
03:54development.
03:54I would like to ask you, then, with this experience and this observation that Sweden has been able to make of our country, what
04:00progress, one might say, what we have done, what is missing, how we stand in relation to other countries, but also, well, being realistic,
04:08What won't we achieve?
04:10Well, I think the agenda is ambitious and challenging in several aspects, don't you think?
04:14But there has been significant progress.
04:16I believe that Colombia has made progress on parts of the agenda related to the environment, etc., and
04:22Other topics, right?
04:23But obviously, there's still a lot to be done and challenges to overcome, right?
04:28These have to do with the poverty gaps that still exist in the country, the issue of security, or
04:34lack of security.
04:36So, there's not much time left, there has been progress, but I think there's still a lot of work to be done.
04:43Yes, since you mention the issue of security, I would like to ask you, Ambassador, what is Sweden's current commitment to the
04:49Peace in Colombia?
04:51It is something that has been very important to Sweden for many years and we continue with that commitment.
04:57It's part of what cooperation is, too.
05:00We provide support for territorial development, so that there are other options in the territories,
05:07I also provide technical support for, let's say, the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement.
05:16But of course, the situation today is different too, isn't it?
05:20And then we have to adapt the support we provide to today's reality.
05:25We are going to have a government transition, and I would like to ask you, then, how are you preparing for that transition?
05:32How do they foresee that adaptation period with a new government taking office next August?
05:38Well, I believe a new government needs to come in, take office, prepare, and present its national plan.
05:46development,
05:47identify your priorities, the issues you want to promote.
05:53And from there I think we need to do an analysis, to find out where we agree,
05:57where we share interests, values, and priorities.
06:02And from there we will form our cooperation.
06:06This has always been the case when there have been changes of government.
06:08It's nothing unique in this case, I think, but it's part of the dynamic, let's say, of cooperation, I would say.
06:15I would like to ask you, then, what you highlight about the Colombian system,
06:18How have those results contributed to the work of strengthening Colombian democracy?
06:25I think the elections we saw this Sunday were truly a demonstration of how strong democracy is.
06:34Colombian, right?
06:35We had a record turnout of almost 58%, which I think is something important.
06:41But of course, for Sweden it's about supporting and strengthening the institutions that participate in that democracy.
06:50which is part of what we do through cooperation.
06:53We have also been a major donor to the EOM, for example, for the election observation mission,
07:01which I believe has been a key sector in democracy.
07:06Also, the participation of women, which is another issue we work on a lot, gender equality,
07:11which is an issue that we have been working on or strengthening for quite some time.
07:16Yes, since it mentions the topic of women and that it has been a topic of great interest to
07:21Sweden,
07:22How do you assess or how have you monitored issues such as political violence against women?
07:27So what is the message for the remainder of the election campaign?
07:31And what, then, will happen during the term of the incoming congressmen, and of the incoming new president?
07:36What is that call to action in this matter?
07:38First, I think it's worth noting that Colombia has made impressive progress in gender equality.
07:45It's something that Sweden participates in, in what we call the gender roundtable for those who have cooperation in Colombia.
07:52And that's where you can also see the data and everything, how this issue is progressing.
07:57It is, I believe, a crucial issue for participation as well.
08:03We see that women often receive more, and female politicians also receive more threats.
08:09They need to be protected so they can participate, and I think that's an important issue.
08:14And, obviously, for Sweden, it's important that women feel safe and secure participating in the electoral process.
08:24It is something that strengthens democracy in any country, including Colombia.
08:29Yes, we have seen that participation of women; however, of the candidates we had,
08:34those who registered, well, barely one, one could say, had a very strong banner,
08:39Well, the whole issue of the care economy, which we know is at the root of many inequalities.
08:43So, I would like to ask you, what calls, what invitation is being made, to the Colombian system,
08:50So, to the legislators, to the next president, so that these inequalities are also taken into account.
08:55which are very much at the base and which, well, are often not talked about.
08:59I believe the data is really there, isn't it?
09:02We know that women are the ones who do this care work and that it has value.
09:09I believe that in Colombia it is estimated that around 20% of GDP is that work that is not so
09:19Visible, isn't it?
09:20Which is actually done by the majority of women.
09:24So, I think the call is to get informed.
09:28to understand that this participation of women is also something that enriches the country,
09:34both in its economic growth and in equality.
09:39Estefan, I don't know if you'd like to add anything about...
09:42No, I think the gender agenda is a broad agenda, isn't it?
09:46I believe there has been considerable progress on parts of that agenda.
09:50For example, political participation and representation,
09:53But I think there's more to be done, that is, more work is needed.
09:57specifically regarding the economic empowerment of women
10:01And also on the issue of sex-based violence, right?
10:05So it's an agenda where there is progress,
10:09But there are still needs to keep working, aren't there?
10:12And that's something we're going to want to do.
10:15Yes, definitely.
10:15And to conclude, I would like to return to this economic and business aspect.
10:20that this new cooperation strategy will have.
10:23A little bit about why this decision was made and if there might be an opportunity.
10:27for a mutual exchange of learning from Swedish companies
10:31that can teach things to Colombian companies and vice versa.
10:35I think there is generally much greater interest there.
10:38in that aspect of cooperation now, and I partly think that reflects
10:42the fact that international aid for cooperation is decreasing.
10:47Then it becomes more important to make the best possible use of it.
10:50of those limited cooperation funds.
10:53Sure, then it makes sense to focus on how we can do more
10:58with fewer resources.
11:00That explains a bit the approach, the interest in working with the private sector.
11:05in capital mobilization, etc., right?
11:08From other sources.
11:09Now, what is particular for us here in Colombia
11:12I think it's because we have a very large presence of Swedish companies, isn't it?
11:16In other words, the working conditions.
11:19Because many times people don't know.
11:20Unclear.
11:21And then the conditions for working in that new way
11:24They are very good here in Colombia.
11:28And that's what we want to take advantage of.
11:30In other words, to take advantage of the breadth of our presence in the country.
11:34Could it be said that Colombia is one of the countries in Latin America
11:38Which one has the largest presence of Swedish companies?
11:41Definitely.
11:42Yeah.
11:43Well, we'll be paying close attention to the presentation of this new strategy.
11:48of cooperation, to the role and collaboration that may exist
11:50between companies from both countries.
11:52Thank you both so much.
11:54Ambassador Estefan, for having been in El Espectador Interviews today.
11:58Thank you so much.
11:59And to all the people who tuned in to this new release
12:02From El Espectador Interviews, thank you very much.
12:04Follow us on all our platforms and we'll see you in the next edition.
12:07See you soon.
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