45% of Colombia's exports are directed towards the United States. Approximately 1 million people are based in this country and around 250 000 Colombian families depend on remittances. 1200 million dollars have been aid to the armed conflict of which 75% was allocated to military spending. While Colombia represents for the United States only 0.7% of total exports of manufactured goods and 0.095% in the services sector.
Colombia enjoys tariff privileges unilateral treaty (APDEA) little used but very significant. 60% of total Colombian exports to the United States are able to enter that country with very low tariffs, making the flower industry and coffee, for example, are one of the most competitive.
All these processes of integration and support made possible by the excellent Colombian diplomatic agenda and good will (and convenience) of the United States for 9 years who are building relationships based on trust and la cooperación que han resultado muy provechosas para ambos países.
No obstante esta empatía en las agendas ha sido posible por que el gobierno estadounidense gozaba de una mayoría Republicana en sus cámaras alta y baja que prestaba mayor atención al gasto militar y a la solución de los conflictos que a los problemas sociales de la población. Sin embargo, todo esto parece que cambiará.
Las pasadas elecciones realizadas en los Estados Unidos supusieron un vuelco total en la agenda internacional de Colombia ya que los prosupuestos de ayuda militar, localmente denominado “Plan Colombia” fueron congelados hasta el momento en que el país demuestre avances significativos en temas relacionados with human rights and decreases in levels of poverty of the population.
With just these arguments as can be expected, without fear of failure, a complete turnaround in the development of bilateral relations. As you point out the Congressman Richie Bailey Democratic Party "The costs of the war in Iraq have been so high that America must now pay greater attention to social problems undermining our host, problems that are even more dangerous than terrorism itself"
diplomatic agenda change, in fact it has been doing for a year at such speed that the Colombian government has spent about 4 billion pesos in simple political lobbying in the corridors of Washington to try to appease the effects this can produce.
demands today for the disbursement of resources are on social protection and human dignity. Economically, the U.S. government has imposed war and cut spending intended to generate sustainable development that is still beneficial for both countries.
Despite the changes in the agenda items have changed, the relations between the two states remain favorable, and while new sectors will play more important for the future, it is unquestionable the Colombian people need to have U.S. aid and therefore promote the best environment possible for a good diplomatic relations.