Up to date: 12:42 p.m. ET.
The Biden administration intends to appoint Colombia as the US’ third main non-NATO ally in South America, Protection One has realized.
An announcement of the nomination is deliberate for Thursday, when President Joe Biden meets on the White Home with Colombian President Ivan Duque. The information of the meant nomination was confirmed by a protection official.
Colombia’s designation as a serious non-NATO ally will come simply two months after the Biden administration conferred the identical on Qatar within the wake of that nation’s in depth assist in evacuating Afghans from Kabul.
Colombia will convey the overall to 19 international locations that get entry to elevated collaboration on the event of protection applied sciences; privileged entry to the U.S. protection trade; elevated joint army exchanges, workouts, and coaching; particular entry to army gear financing; and extra.
The opposite main non-NATO allies are Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Tunisia.
In a press name forward of Biden’s assembly with Duque, a senior administration official mentioned, “I’d word Colombia was the primary former Spanish colony acknowledged by the US, and the U.S.-Colombia relationship has been one of many closest of the Americas ever since.,” a senior administration official mentioned in a press name forward of the assembly.
Biden, who has referred to as Colombia a “keystone” of American international coverage within the area, has an extended historical past with the nation, together with work on Plan Colombia as a senator and on Peace Colombia as vice chairman.
Colombia has turn into an more and more essential safety companion to the U.S. in South America to battle the drug commerce and strengthen American affect within the area. In 2017, it turned NATO’s first South American safety companion.
The deepening of ties with Colombia has assist on Capitol Hill. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., who chairs the Senate International Relations Committee, and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., on Wednesday launched the United States-Colombia Strategic Alliance Act of 2022, which might designate Colombia as a serious non-NATO ally to broaden cooperation on points equivalent to rising the economic system, combating corruption, defending each international locations, and combating local weather change.
However China can also be working to spice up its affect in Bogota. Beijing-backed corporations have received contracts to work on a number of Colombian infrastructure tasks, together with the metro and regional railway in Bogota, efforts to construct 4G and 5G infrastructure and the development of a brand new gold mine.
Correction: A earlier model of this text incorrectly acknowledged Colombia can be the primary main U.S. non-NATO ally in South America. It can be the third.