America will be helping Colombia to develop its mining industry
The United States will be providing funds and knowhow to help the South American country.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that his office will launch a program to provide technical assistance for the development of Colombia's mining industry. During a recent visit to the South American country, Pompeo said the proposal will be coordinated by the State Department's Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative. "You see, we know that, Mr. President, when there is a safe, inviting investment climate, with good government, transparent rules, and open and fair relationships, American and Colombian companies do a great job together. They offer real jobs with real wealth which is permanent and I know that the private sector of our two countries will keep it going, "Pompeo told President Iván Duque during a press conference held at the Presidential Palace in Bogotá on Saturday. According to the US official, the program will begin to analyze how the Colombian mining industry compares to other countries in the region. It will then review the country's legal and regulatory framework and propose ideas on how to make this framework competitive. In addition, the project will review the current regulations for environmentally sound copper mining, with a particular focus on best practices for the storage of mine tailings. Colombia has 33 mining and energy projects waiting to be tackled after the Covid-19 pandemic ends. These projects are expected to create over 50,000 jobs and generate investments of over $ 9.6 million. "The US government is a strategic partner in our drive to drive the sustainable recovery of the energy and mining sectors through the implementation of the America Grows initiative. We have worked with them through USAID to promote the formalization of artisanal miners, and with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs to combat the illegal exploitation of our minerals, "Colombia's Mining Minister Diego Mesa said in a media statement. "We are now grateful for this offer to provide technical assistance through the EGCI to address the technical, environmental, financial and legal challenges related to the management of the mining sector." The USAID Mesa project, to which Mesa was referring, is called "Legal Gold" and focuses on the legalization of illegal miners on minimizing the use of mercury in gold mining as well as on the introduction of mercury-free technologies. In combating illegal mining, the Department of Mines and Energy is also supported by a previous agreement with the State Department that allows land parcels to be monitored if there is evidence of alluvial gold exploitation. In parallel, the minister also reported that Colombia is receiving support through the US Department of Labor to eliminate child labor in the mining sector and improve working conditions in small coal and gold mines.





