{"id":75548,"date":"2016-10-30T09:48:00","date_gmt":"2016-10-30T09:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=9e849f5e4a7fdb3fdc5c3474c6a58b25"},"modified":"2016-11-04T11:53:37","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T11:53:37","slug":"news-story-uk-to-welcome-president-santos-for-colombia-state-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=75548","title":{"rendered":"News story: UK welcomes President Santos for Colombia state visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated:<\/em> summary updated.<\/p>\n

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The President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos de Calderon, will begin Colombia\u2019s first ever state visit to the UK on Tuesday 1 November, as an official guest of Her Majesty The Queen.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will formally welcome President Santos at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary in attendance.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister will host the President at 10 Downing Street for a working lunch, and the President will also attend events at Mansion House, the Natural History Museum and the London School of Economics. The Foreign Secretary will take the President on a private tour of the Cabinet War Rooms. To mark the occasion of the state visit, the London Eye will be lit up in yellow, blue and red \u2013 the colours of the Colombian flag \u2013 on the evenings of Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd November.<\/p>\n

The Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, said:<\/p>\n

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We are delighted to welcome President Santos to the UK. Britain works hand-in-hand with Colombia on the world stage whenever the occasion demands.<\/p>\n

We have an important national interest in the security and prosperity of Colombia, and we look forward to forging new links in science, education and research, while reinforcing the traditional friendship between our two peoples through increased tourism.<\/p>\n

Colombia is on the verge of a historic peace agreement and through our ongoing support for the country the UK is well-placed to take advantage of the opportunities that will follow. We will continue to support President Santos and the people of Colombia as they work to secure lasting peace.<\/p>\n

As we leave the EU, Britain remains a bold and outward-looking nation, and we are forging a new global role and taking advantage of economic and diplomatic opportunities in the wider world, beyond Europe.<\/p>\n

Colombia holds huge potential for British investors in areas ranging from health care to transport, defence and energy, and I hope that the state visit will help to open up these opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The President, who has been leading Colombia\u2019s peace process, will travel to Belfast on Thursday to hear first-hand about Northern Ireland\u2019s experience of peace-building, and the benefits that peace and political progress has brought for community relations and efforts to build a stronger economy.<\/p>\n

The UK has strong ties with Colombia and a longstanding relationship built over more than 200 years. The 2 countries work closely on a range of issues, including trade and investment, security, defence, and climate change. Trade between Colombia and the UK was worth \u00a31 billion last year, and continues to grow.<\/p>\n

The UK also works closely with Colombia\u2019s law enforcement agencies to tackle the threat of drug trafficking and serious organised crime \u2013 issues that affect people in the UK too.<\/p>\n

Colombia is emerging from the longest-running internal conflict in the Western hemisphere. The UK has played a central role in supporting Colombia\u2019s peace process. Peace will benefit not only Colombia and the surrounding region, but will create opportunities to further expand the bilateral relationship between Colombia and the UK.<\/p>\n

President Santos recently received the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing his continued efforts to secure peace.<\/p>\n

He will be accompanied during the visit by his wife, Maria Clemencia Rodriguez de Santos.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/h2>\n

PM and President Santos\u2019 press statement<\/h3>\n

PM and President Santos\u2019 press statements<\/a><\/h3>\n

Peace and reconciliation<\/h3>\n

The UK will increase its contribution to prosperity programmes in Colombia by up to \u00a325 million, supporting economic development and opening up investment and export opportunities worth in the region of \u00a36 billion to the UK economy.<\/p>\n

In addition, a further \u00a37.5 million from the government\u2019s Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) will be allocated to support the Colombian peace process, with \u00a32.5 million dedicated specifically to support demining through the United Nations Trust Fund. Demining is crucial for releasing land into productive use and to clear up the remains of conflict.<\/p>\n

Trade and Investment<\/h3>\n

Government investing up to \u00a31 billion to support trade and development in Colombia as new partnerships open in oil and gas sector.<\/p>\n