Today, being a doctor or nurse in remote areas of Colombia continues to be a challenge. The conflict, which has not stopped even after the 2016 peace agreements, threatens the safety of healthcare personnel: on the one hand, there are armed groups who kidnap doctors to treat their members or provide confidential information, on the another thing is the communities, frustrated by the chronic lack of basic services. Large areas of the country are under the control of armed actors who decide who can reside and work there, including doctors and teachers.
Thanks to the donor mission organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Spanish co-presidency on the theme “Access to and protection of health care in armed conflict”, the Deputy Technical Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Leonardo Carmenati, was able to meet healthcare personnel on the front line and appreciate the central role of the ICRC delegation in Colombia, which guarantees humanitarian access and brings assistance to the civilian population victim of the ongoing conflict.
In 2023, Italy contributed to the ICRC‘s action with an amount equal to 13.5 million euros, spread over several countries (Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan, Nagorno Karabakh crisis, Sudan) and, thanks to its support, confirmed itself as a member of the Donor Support Group (DSG), a privileged position to guide the Committee’s decisions and strategies.
On the occasion of the visit to Colombia, the Deputy Director greeted the staff of the local AICS office in Bogota and, together with the Director Mario Beccia, met Ambassador Giancarlo Curcio to discuss the future prospects of Italian cooperation in Colombia.
