Allies: Twenty-Seven Bold Ideas to Reimagine the US-Colombia Relationship features contributions from President Bill Clinton, General David Petraeus, Minister Carolina Barco, and Members of Congress, among other US and Colombian thought leaders
Washington, DC—June 1, 2022 – Today, the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center published its first book, Allies: Twenty-Seven Bold Ideas to Reimagine the US-Colombia Relationship, that outlines a new vision for US-Colombia relations amid the bicentennial of diplomatic relations and as new local and global challenges call for a reimagined partnership.
The book, produced with insight and collaboration from the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, features nearly thirty essays from thought leaders on opportunities for future US-Colombia cooperation in addressing bilateral and global needs. Contributors are prominent politicians, business leaders, academics, and artists, including President Bill Clinton, businessman Howard Buffett, General David Petraeus, Colombia’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolina Barco, former Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism María Claudia Lacouture, and singer-songwriter Carlos Vives.
The book comes as Colombia prepares to elect its next president in a second round on June 19, 2022. It represents a collective, binational effort to reimagine the US-Colombia partnership based on a shared vision for a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future.
The book provides a roadmap for future US engagement with Colombia in seven areas, which include and go beyond traditional areas of bilateral cooperation: global issues; shared security; democracy and the rule of law; inclusive economic growth; migration and internal displacement; environment and climate; and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and the arts.
“An even deeper US-Colombia partnership is fundamental to the national interests of both countries. This historic book provides innovative ideas to advance the relationship so we can jointly build on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead,” said Jason Marczak, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center and co-editor of Allies.
“Future US engagement with Colombia should recognize the country’s positive transformations, expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation to advance democracy, security, and prosperity for all,” said Camila Hernández, associate director of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center and co-editor of Allies. “A volume like this is more needed than ever,” added Cynthia Arnson, distinguished fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center and co-editor of Allies. “Colombia’s change election underscores the need for the fresh thinking laid out in these essays.”
With articles by Atlantic Council US-Colombia Task Force co-chairs Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) and the Chairman and Ranking Member—Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Michael McCaul (R-TX), respectively—of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the book recognizes the bipartisan support that has characterized US policy toward Colombia.
Through its US-Colombia Task Force—a nonpartisan group of experts in the United States and Colombia—the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center works to strengthen bipartisan support for this relationship, while deepening bilateral diplomatic and economic ties. The group’s next report, to be released in Fall 2022, will provide a critical blueprint for Colombia’s next leader on how to strengthen US-Colombia ties.
A copy of the book, including essays and videos from contributors, can be accessed here. The book will be formally launched tonight at 7:30 p.m. (ET) at an invite-only event at the US library of Congress with the participation of book authors, Vice President of Colombia Marta Lucía Ramírez, and Special Assistant to the President of the United States and Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere at the US National Security Council Juan Gonzalez.
If interested in attending the book launch in-person, please contact ELardizabal@atlanticcouncil.org. Please note that press availability is limited and first come, first served. The book launch will also be livestreamed via Zoom and YouTube. To receive a zoom link, register here.
For further information, please contact press@atlanticcouncil.org
The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center broadens understanding of regional transformations and delivers constructive, results-oriented solutions to inform how the public and private sectors can advance hemispheric prosperity.
Further reading
Wed, Jun 1, 2022
Agenda | Allies: Twenty-seven bold ideas to reimagine the US-Colombia relationship
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Agenda for June 1, 2022 event, Allies: Twenty-seven bold ideas to reimagine the US-Colombia relationship.
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