Countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) approved Friday the entry of Colombia as its 37th member, at the end of an application process that began five years ago.

The next step in the invitation to Colombia by ambassadors of the member states will be the signing on May 30 in Paris of an access agreement by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria of Mexico during the organization's meeting of ministers. </s> PARIS, May 25 (Reuters) - OECD countries officially invited Colombia to join the Paris-based economic policy forum, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Friday.

The Latin American country will thus become the group's 37th member when it joins with Lithuania, which was previously invited to join at the OECD's annual ministerial council.

Founded after World War II to manage the U.S.-funded Marshall plan to rebuild Europe, the OECD has traditionally brought together mostly rich industrialised countries, but in recent years has sought to diversify its membership.

OECD members are expected to respect agreed standards on things ranging from fighting bribery, to export credit arrangements, and how capital flows are treated.

Member countries also get in-depth policy advice from the OECD's 2,500 staff of international civil servants in Paris.

The OECD invitation comes as Colombia, Latin America's largest-economy, prepares to go to the polls on Sunday in a vote to replace President Juan Manuel Santos. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas Editing by Mathieu Rosemain) </s> The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has agreed to allow Colombia to become its third Latin American members.

The accession of Colombia to the OECD, an intergovernmental economic organization of mainly western economic powers, had been one of the wishes of outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos.

“Joining the OECD is a milestone in the process of modernization of Colombia,” said Santos in a speech after making the announcement.

The South American country’s membership was confirmed by OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria.

“The accession of Colombia will contribute to our efforts to transform the OECD into a more diverse and inclusive institution, which will ensure our relevance in the years and decades ahead,” Gurria was quoted as saying by German news publication DW.

The United States, which initially objected the move, congratulated the latest member of the economic organization.

“Membership will bring benefits to the economy and people of Colombia, along with important responsibilities to level the playing field on trade and to enhance protections for investors,” the Department of State said in a press release.

According to Santos, “OECD membership generates confidence, confidence generates investment, investment generates jobs and work [creates] welfare.”

The president announced his intention to join the OECD in 2011. The government formally requested membership in 2013.

was last modified: by </s> Colombia invited to join OECD; third Latin American member with Mexico and Chile

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced on Friday that Colombia would be officially invited to join the group. The Paris-based economic organization was founded in 1961 and has traditionally included industrialized nations, though in recent years it has extended its membership to emerging economies.

The accession of Colombia will contribute to our efforts to transform the OECD into a more diverse and inclusive institution, which will ensure our relevance in the years and decades ahead. OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said, welcoming the new addition.

Colombia began its application process in 2013. As part of the requirements, 23 OECD committees conducted an in-depth evaluation of the country. Additionally, the Colombian government had to introduce major reforms to align its legislation, policies and practices to OECD standards.

The OECD entry marks a new achievement for outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos, whose administration undertook the challenge during his first term in office. Santos celebrated the decision, saying that it represented great news for Colombia.

To enter this organization represents a very important step in the efforts to modernize our country, the Colombian president said.

We are comparing ourselves to the best to be the best, he added. Santos is set to fly to Paris on May 30 to sign the Accession Agreement at the upcoming meeting of the OECD ministerial council.

Colombia will become the 37th member of the OECD and the third Latin American country to do so, after Mexico and Chile. Costa Rica is currently undergoing its own accession process.

Once marred by political violence from drug trafficking and a leftist insurgency, Colombia has experienced a revival in recent years. In 2016, the country celebrated a landmark peace agreement that ended Latin America's longest-running conflict and has also experienced economic growth.

The OECD's reported that economic growth in Colombia is projected to rise to around three percent in 2018 and 2019. The organization pointed to reduced corporate taxation, the historic peace agreement, better financing conditions and new infrastructure projects, as positive steps the country is taking to boost the economy.

A testament to Colombia's comeback is the growth in its tourism industry. According to the US International Trade Administration, as of 2017, tourism has become a major economic engine for the South American nation, ranking above coffee export and below the oil sector. ITA predicts that Colombia will lead growth in tourism in the next decade. </s> Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-26 06:04:17|Editor: yan

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BOGOTA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos celebrated on Friday that Colombia had been admitted as a new member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), stating this was due to the country promoting good business practices and stimulating investment.

"This is great news for our country. It (the OECD) is the most important organization to promote the best public policies in the world ... this is a very important step on the way to modernizing the country. We want to compare with the best to be able to be the best," he explained.

In a statement on Friday, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said that "we are very pleased to welcome Colombia as a member of the OECD. Accession to our Organisation was set as a priority by President Santos when he assumed office and we are glad that the process could be completed during his mandate."

The statement said that Colombia had been subject to in-depth reviews by 23 OECD committees and had made major reforms in the areas of labour, the justice system, corporate governance of state-owned enterprises, anti-bribery, trade as well as new national policies on industrial chemicals and waste management.

Colombia becomes its 37th member, joining shortly after Lithuania which was granted membership in early May.

The OECD specializes in helping governments better understand how to drive economic, social and environmental change, while improving productivity, trade and investment.

"It opens up great possibilities to progress in healthcare, education, the fight against corruption and environmental protection. It has been 7 and a half year of intense work and I thank all those who worked so hard for this achievement to become a reality," added Santos. </s> BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia will next week formally join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, making it the only Latin American nation in the alliance, President Juan Manuel Santos said late on Friday.

Colombia will join as a “global partner”, Santos said, which means it will not necessarily have to take part in military action, and will be fully accredited in Brussels.

The 29-nation NATO alliance reached a partnership agreement with Colombia back in May 2017, just after peace was signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, an agreement that earned Santos a Nobel Peace Prize.

“Colombia benefits a lot from being an active part of the international community, many of the problems we face are increasingly global and need the support and collaboration of other countries for their solution,” Santos said in a televised address.

Other global partners include Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan.

The partnership with Colombia will cooperate on global security areas like cyber and maritime security, terrorism and links to organized crime, according to NATO’s website.

The announcement came just hours after the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) approved Colombia as a new member.

“Being part of the OECD and NATO improves the image of Colombia and allows us to have much more play on the international stage,” Santos said. </s> BOGOTA, May 26 (Reuters) - Colombia will next week formally join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, making it the only Latin American nation in the alliance, President Juan Manuel Santos said late on Friday.

Colombia will join as a "global partner", Santos said, which means it will not necessarily have to take part in military action, and will be fully accredited in Brussels.

The 29-nation NATO alliance reached a partnership agreement with Colombia back in May 2017, just after peace was signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, an agreement that earned Santos a Nobel Peace Prize.

"Colombia benefits a lot from being an active part of the international community, many of the problems we face are increasingly global and need the support and collaboration of other countries for their solution," Santos said in a televised address.

Other global partners include Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan.

The partnership with Colombia will cooperate on global security areas like cyber and maritime security, terrorism and links to organized crime, according to NATO's website.

The announcement came just hours after the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) approved Colombia as a new member. "Being part of the OECD and NATO improves the image of Colombia and allows us to have much more play on the international stage," Santos said. (Reporting by Helen Murphy, editing by Louise Heavens) </s> Colombia’s foreign Minister Carlos Holmes announced Friday that his country is withdrawing from Unasur, the union of South American countries after months of division between member states.

The country suspended its membership in April after months of infighting on the worsening situation in neighboring Venezuela and the succession of Colombian ex-President Ernesto Samper as the South American union’s president.

The bloc was founded in 2008 to promote regional integration and diminish US influence in South America. Political divisions, however, had virtually paralyzed the organization.

Other countries led by conservative governments also suspended their membership, mainly over disagreement on Venezuela, a founding state that has slowly degenerated in a virtual one-party state similar to Cuba.

According to President Ivan Duque, the Unasur membership had become toxic and effectively made Colombia “complicit in the Venezuelan dictatorship.”

Holmes said that other countries who suspended their membership in April could follow suit and withdraw, which would effectively end the continental project that essentially sought regional integration.

“We are consulting with other countries that want to take the same course. In any case, Colombia will withdraw from the constitutive treaty, it is an irreversible policy,”

Since its foundation, the governments of a number of member states have shifted to the right while the socialist-run Venezuela has become increasingly authoritarian.

Resolutions that sought to condemn human rights violations in the oil-rich country were sunk by Venezuela’s allies in the region and countries that depend on free oil distributed by Caracas.

The organization has been without a secretary general since January last year when former Colombian President Ernesto Samper ended his term.

The lack of consensus and leadership has removed “the conditions that allow taking decisions” as one body, former Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin said in April.

Colombia to withdraw from Unasur; South America split over Venezuela was last modified: by </s> BOGOTA – Colombia’s new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos’ recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos’ decision, which was detailed in an Aug. 3 letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.

“Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law,” new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement.

“Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbors,” the letter said.

The Israeli embassy in Bogota said it was surprised and disappointed.

“We ask the Colombian government to reverse the decision made by the previous administration in its last days, which contravenes the close relations, extensive cooperation in vital areas and interests of both countries,” it said in a statement posted to its Twitter account.

The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. She attended Duque’s inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan migrants in the northern border city of Cucuta.

The United States, a close ally of Israel, was getting more information about the situation and had no immediate comment, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said.

“We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East,” the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.

As of 3 August 2018, 137 of the 193 member states of the United Nations and two non-member states have recognized the State of Palestine. Many of the countries that do not recognize the State of Palestine nevertheless recognize the PLO as the “representative of the Palestinian people“. On 29 November 2012, the UN General Assembly passed a motion changing Palestine’s “entity” status to “non-member observer state” by a vote of 138 to 9, with 41 abstentions

Palestine seeks to create a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands that Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Colombia abstained in December from a vote by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor. </s> Colombia's new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos' recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

BOGOTA: Colombia's new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos' recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos' decision, which was detailed in an Aug. 3 letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.

"Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law," new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement.

Santos decided to recognise Palestine as a "free, independent and sovereign state," according to the letter, which was circulated to reporters by the foreign ministry.

"Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbours," the letter said.

The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. She attended Duque's inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan migrants in the northern border city of Cucuta.

The United States, a close ally of Israel, was getting more information about the situation and had no immediate comment, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said.

"We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East," the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.

Palestine has been recognised as a sovereign state by the U.N. General Assembly, the International Criminal Court and at least 136 countries.

Palestine seeks to create a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands that Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Colombia abstained in December from a vote by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favour.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to a peace deal between Israel and Palestine, who were furious over Trump's move. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the full city.
The OECD member countries admit Colombia as its 37th member.