U.S.- Colombia Defense Cooperation
Agreement
Bureau
of Public Affairs, Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
August
18, 2009
On
August 14, 2009, the United States and Colombian governments
reached provisional agreement ad referendum on a Defense
Cooperation Agreement (DCA). The agreement is now
undergoing final review in anticipation of signature.
The United States and Colombia enjoy a close and strategic
bilateral relationship. The anticipated signing of
the DCA (formally titled a Supplemental Agreement
for Cooperation and Technical Assistance and Security,
or SACTA) will deepen bilateral cooperation on security
issues. The DCA will facilitate effective bilateral
cooperation on security matters in Colombia, including
narcotics production and trafficking, terrorism, illicit
smuggling of all types, and humanitarian and natural
disasters.
The
DCA does not permit the establishment of any U.S.
base in Colombia. It ensures continued U.S. access
to specific agreed Colombian facilities in order to
undertake mutually agreed upon activities within Colombia.
The
agreement facilitates U.S. access to three Colombian
air force bases, located at Palanquero, Apiay, and
Malambo. The agreement also permits access to two
naval bases and two army installations, and other
Colombian military facilities if mutually agreed.
All these military installations are, and will remain,
under Colombian control. Command and control, administration,
and security will continue to be handled by the Colombian
armed forces. All activities conducted at or from
these Colombian bases by the United States will take
place only with the express prior approval of the
Colombian government. The presence of U.S. personnel
at these facilities would be on an as needed, and
as mutually agreed upon, basis.
The DCA does not signal, anticipate, or authorize
an increase in the presence of U.S. military or civilian
personnel in Colombia.
The presence of U.S. military and associated personnel
in Colombia is governed by statute. In October 2004,
Congress authorized the permanent or temporary assignment
of up to 800 U.S. military personnel and up to 600
U.S. civilian contractors. That cap will continue
to be faithfully respected. In fact, in recent years
the actual presence of such U.S. personnel has averaged
half or less of the authorized number. Consistent
with U.S. policy to nationalize U.S.-supported activities
by turning them over to Colombian authorities, U.S.
personnel presence has been in a gradual decline.
It is the United States’ expectation and commitment
that those trends will continue.
At a technical level, the DCA harmonizes and updates
existing bilateral agreements, practices, and arrangements
on security matters, and continues to ensure appropriate
protections and status for U.S. personnel. Bilateral
U.S.-Colombian engagement in the security sphere is
governed by conditions set in a number of bilateral
agreements, including the 1952 Mutual Defense Assistance
Agreement, the 1962 General Agreement for Economic,
Technical and Related Assistance, and related subsequent
agreements in 1974, 2000, and 2004.
