Periodic Progress Report #8: Support Which Implements Fast Transition IV (SWIFT IV) Sub IQCS A & B

The program, titled Colombia Transforma, aims to support rapid impact and short-term assistance aimed at strengthening and sustaining Colombian communities' commitment to peace building through the critical first 36-month period post-accord. Colombia Transforma's program objectives are to increase the Government of Colombia's (GOC) ability to plan and execute rapid response aspects of the peace accords, and to increase collaboration between territorial actors to lead local implementation of the peace accords. The program has cleared 488 activities worth a total of $22,448,413, and an additional 24 activities have been approved for further development for a total of $1.21 million. During the reporting period, Colombia held presidential elections to replace President Juan Manuel Santos. Ivan Duque defeated Gustavo Petro in national elections held on June 17, 2018, and he was inaugurated as President of Colombia on August 7. During his first official visit to Tibu, in the Catatumbo region in Norte de Santander, President Duque met with several Transforma partners, including mayors, AOSMUNICIPIOS, and FEDEPROCAP. ASOMUNICIPIOS representatives had the opportunity to share their ideas and concerns as well as give Duque copies of their proposals for post-conflict transition and development in the Catatumbo region. The ongoing Venezuela Crisis has forced the mass migration of more than one million Venezuelans and returnees into Colombia, exacerbating public service provision throughout the country. The department of Norte de Santander – given its shared border with Venezuela – has been particularly hard hit. Transforma responded in several zones where program teams have an operational footprint and strong relations with partners along the border. Under activity NDS148, Transforma worked with the departmental government's "A Productive North for All" program to provide vulnerable migrant families with assistance and information about access to basic services. In Arauca, activity ARA096 provided gender training support to women members of the Permanent Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CPDH), an organization that seeks to denounce systemic violations of human rights stemming from the armed conflict and create spaces for reconciliation and peace. Women members from the municipalities of Arauquita, Arauca, Saravena, Fortul, and Tame were invited to participate, and the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsmen was involved to establish a link to the government. Following the training, Transforma provided logistical support for a September municipal farmers market in which 100 female CPDH members strengthened their ties to local authorities and improved their understanding of opportunities to contribute to the implementation of the Peace Agreement throughout Arauca. Transforma partnered with the Agency for Territorial Renewal (ART) and the Politecnico Grancolombiano University to support an event that brought together 42 community reporters under activity COL045, a yearlong activity which strengthened the technical capacity of community radio stations and trained staff in content production. The event capped six months of effort to form and launch the Community Reporters Network for Peace, which will connect reporters from Arauca, Norte de Santander, and Putumayo to inform about peacebuilding, collect perceptions surrounding the implementation of the Peace Agreement, and give voice to citizens in remote territories. During the meeting, the reporters shared communication materials that they created to inform citizens about topics related to Peace Agreement implementation such as PDET (Territorial Focused Development Plans) and PICs (Small Community Infrastructure).