International cooperation will provide Colombia with nearly 20 million euros (US$22.4 million) to strengthen the fight against deforestation, protect Amazonian forests and bring the ABC Agenda (Water, Biodiversity and Communities) to this territory.
This was confirmed by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, which stated that securing these resources represents one of the main achievements of the first 100 days of Abelardo de la Espriella’s government and reaffirms the confidence of Germany, the United Kingdom and Norway in Colombia.
These resources will be invested in the third phase of the REM Vision Amazonia program, an initiative of the Ministry of Environment that for 10 years has worked with Indigenous and farming communities, territorial entities and environmental authorities to protect the Amazon rainforest and promote sustainable production models in the region.
Stopping deforestation and protecting the forest
The announcement was confirmed at the close of a joint monitoring mission between the Government of Colombia and the cooperating countries. The new phase would last five years, starting in September 2027, and will be linked to meeting targets for reducing emissions resulting from deforestation and forest degradation.
For the Government, progress toward REM III represents a concrete result of the Ministry of Environment’s international efforts and a step forward in implementing the ABC Agenda in the Amazon.
“We are demonstrating that Colombia can protect its forests, achieve results and turn those results into international confidence and new opportunities for our communities,” said Fabio Arjona, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development.
The senior official also stated that the commitment is clear: “Stop deforestation and protect the forest while generating sustainable economic opportunities for the communities that inhabit them. Conservation means making biodiversity an opportunity to produce, generate income and prosper.”
From this perspective, the third phase will continue to prioritize the reduction of emissions associated with deforestation and forest loss, while seeking to scale up experiences that demonstrate that protecting the Amazon can also generate sustainable economic opportunities for communities.
This is a commitment to an economy based on the sustainable use of biodiversity, making it possible to conserve the forest, generate income and improve living conditions in these territories.
A program with results that needs continuity
REM III is not starting from scratch. It comes after two implementation phases and a decade of continuous work in the Colombian Amazon. Over these 10 years, the program has consolidated relationships of trust with international cooperation partners thanks to meeting targets, transparency in the use of resources and the development of capacities in Amazonian territories.
For Germany, one of the initiative’s main partners, continuity is an essential condition for achieving lasting environmental transformations.
“Continuity and long-term work are fundamental to building solid and lasting results,” said Katharina Anschutz, KfW senior portfolio manager and leader of the international monitoring and follow-up mission for REM II.
“Many things cannot be achieved overnight. They require time and permanence, and that is why we will continue supporting Colombia with a program that has shown results and needs continuity,” she said.
The REM Vision Amazonia Program team said it received the Colombian Government’s announcement of Germany’s support with “deep satisfaction.” The support is aimed at protecting Amazonian forests, reducing deforestation and promoting sustainable production alternatives for the communities that inhabit this territory.
The announcement is also encouraging news for Indigenous and farming communities, environmental authorities, territorial entities and local organizations that have demonstrated that forest conservation can advance hand in hand with the well-being of Amazonian populations.
The continuation of the program, whose third phase is projected to begin in September 2027 and last five years, will be subject to meeting targets for reducing emissions resulting from deforestation and forest degradation.
“We receive this announcement with enormous satisfaction. It represents recognition of the committed work of the entire REM Vision Amazonia team and, especially, of the efforts of the communities that have believed in the possibility of building economic alternatives without destroying the forest,” said Jose Yunis Mebarak, the program’s general coordinator.
“These ten years have allowed us to learn, build trust and demonstrate that conserving the Amazon requires a presence in the territory, technical capabilities, dialogue with communities and a long-term vision,” he concluded.