The newest European Union trust fund, officially launched in Dec. 2016, is set up to support the peace process in Colombia and is now encouraging donors to the fund to submit proposals. With a focus on the most conflict-affected rural areas over the past 50 years, the European Commission has published this week the strategic and technical criteria to evaluate the proposals.
The EU Trust Fund for Colombia combines funds from the EU’s general budget through the Development Cooperation Instrument, the European Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, and 19 EU Member states. Since the signature of the trust fund in 2016, there have not been further pledges. In total, these cooperation funds amount to approximately 95 million euros.
Furthermore, the European Union is also mobilizing other instruments to support the Colombian peace-building process: 28 million euros from the instrument contributing to stability and peace in support of the Colombian government’s Rapid Response Plan, and up to 400 million euros in loans from the European Investment Bank. In total, the EU is mobilizing almost 600 million euros.