The States financial aid to Colombia showed a decline in the last 10 years, this was a right decision if one realized the decline figures of narcotic production and rate of homicides in Colombia, it is still high but lower than 10 years ago, Colombian has to say thanks to Tio Sam to help us to get out of this irrational internal armed conflict. However, there is a rising issue that central government and international organizations have to deal, nowadays there is a wasting of public economic sources in regional administrations, most of public servants deal this resource for their own benefits and few economic resources goes to social projects, therefore it will be great work on this issue through education for these people through international experience and colombian central government aid.
Author: Humberto Bernal,
Economist
e-mail: zhumber@gmail.com
for download PDF format:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzkhS13UydIHSzBqRWM0aktTTy16ejhNRDZYSHk1Zw
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzkhS13UydIHSzBqRWM0aktTTy16ejhNRDZYSHk1Zw
Drug and violence conflict in Colombia has taken the attention of international community since ends of 90’s, Colombia has been on the first places in homicide rate throught this period, She showed a homicide rate of 78 per 100 thousand inhabitants on 1991, this figure was the highest in the last 50 years, since 2000 Colombia showed a lower homicide rate as figure 1 shows, it began on 63.0 and it was 33.0 in 2011, fortunately Colombia is going out of this violence thanks to international financial help. One of main programs that helps Colombia to finish this internal armed conflict is Plan Colombia and other economic sources given by the States, this program started on 1998 - 2002 through Pastrana president period and it is still on the States annual budget, financial sources given to Colombia were US$898 million in 2000, US$438 million in 2011 and an estimation and request of US$378 million and US$329 million in 2012 and 2013 respectively as figure 2 shows, this financial aid goes to reduce narcotics production, military education and economic support mainly. although there is a declining trend on this aid, most of targets has been done, for instance less violence at main cities, armed forces got more education and techniques to fight against terrorism and narcotic dealers, however there is an important issue we have to sort out to get done this violence and it is a deep investment in education for those who work in a public region offices such as Governors and Majors in order to reduce wasting of economic public resources and, in some cases, own Governs and Mayors benefits through public financial sources.
Figure 1. Homicide rate in Colombia 2000-2011
(per 100.000 inhabitants)
Source: Police statistics, Departamento Nacional de Planeación (DNP). Colombia.
Figure 2. Plan Colombia and other transfers from USA to Colombia 2000-2013
(US$ million)
Source: function 150 & Other International Programs. Department of State USA. 2012:Estimate; 2013:Request.
To broadcast main targets done through Plan Colombia aid, Figure 3 shows the narcotic Gross Domestic Product (NGDP) in US$million and as a percentage share of Narcotic GDP, this economic measure has showed a decline since 2000 when it reached US$1.705 million, nowadays Narcotic GDP reached US$1.196 million, one can say that this production shared 1.7% of total GDP in Colombia in 2000 and 0.4% of total GDP in 2010, other economic indicator is USA financial aid as a percentage share of Narcotic GDP, this figures are showed on figure 3, this share got its highest value in 2002 with 57.9%, nowadays it reaches 41.3%. the main conclusion is an important decline in Narcotic GDP and therefore a decline of the States financial aid but still there are things to be done with central government, for instance education to regional public servants.
Figure 3. Plan Colombia and other USA transfers as a share of narcotic GDP in Colombia 2000-2010
(%, Drug GDP Colombia: US$million)
Source: function 150 & Other International Programs. Department of State USA. 2012:Estimate; 2013:Request.
Bureau of Statistics Colombia DANE.
No comments:
Post a Comment