Two public-private partnerships (PPPs) in Colombia were awarded the Emprender Paz peace prize last week. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports and helps both projects.

The PPPs won the main prize in two of the three categories. The public-private partnership is a model for poverty reduction, peacebuilding and good governance, especially in conflict areas.

The first prizewinner, Coffee Company Huila, aims to tackle the cultivation of coca and poppies. Aid to coffee farmers is linked to activities that promote human rights, good governance and peacebuilding. The project focuses on women and young people in particular, and their participation in public decision-making procedures, like public tenders.

The second prizewinner, Augura, worked in the Urabá region and the area around Santa Marta on the reintegration of former guerrilla fighters. Private companies in the banana sector made an active contribution to reintegrating this group into production chains, by means of training, certification and improving market access. The bananas are marketed in the Netherlands by Agrofair.

Emprender Paz is an initiative of the United Nations (UNDP), the Colombian Ministry of Trade, Global Compact, the German development agency GTZ and the main TV stations in Colombia.



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