Colombia

Interagency Story

Drawing on U.S. Government and Civil Service Expertise to Improve Water Resources Management Practices

Did you know that the U.S. Department of State engages with countries around the world on key water issues through AWEP?  Through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s International Technical Assistance Program, U.S.–based water experts deploy all over the world for short-term consultancies, training programs, and public diplomacy missions. AWEP helps countries improve their water resources management practices and serves as an avenue for U.S. embassies and consulates to engage diplomatically on the U.S. Government Global Water Strategy.

Activity

Partnering for Adaptation and Resilience

Climate change has negatively impacted water resources and ecosystems in many parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. In Peru and Colombia, rising temperatures and extreme hydrologic events such as prolonged drought and heavy flooding put livelihoods in downstream communities at risk.

Activity

SERVIR Amazonia

The purpose of the “SERVIR Amazonia” Activity is to reduce negative impacts of large-scale infrastructure, extractives activities, and climate change on Amazon forests and waters through increased use of geospatial information for improved planning and decision-making.

Global Waters Article

Helping Latin America Build Resilience in the Face of Water Scarcity

In late 2016, much of South America’s Pacific coast experienced a severe drought that destroyed crops and impacted livestock. By the end of November, Bolivia had declared a state of emergency. Wildfires raged in Peru, and parts of Colombia were suffering from a lack of food and potable water. Relief finally came in January with the onset of the rainy season — only the rains didn’t stop. By April, massive floods had caused widespread destruction throughout the region. Peru experienced its worst flooding in decades.

Partnership

Global Handwashing Partnership

The Global Handwashing Partnership is a coalition of international stakeholders who work explicitly to promote handwashing with soap and recognize hygiene as a pillar of international development and public health.