Presidents Duque and Trump to Discuss Venezuela, Bilateral Partnership at White House Meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 2, 2020

Contact: Maria Molina

202-387-8338 ext. 226

TODAY: Presidents Duque and Trump to Discuss Venezuela, Bilateral Partnership at White House Meeting

AIPAC Address Also Among Colombian President’s March 2 Meetings with U.S. and International Dignitaries in Washington, DC

Washington, DC — Colombian President Iván Duque will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump today as part of a Washington, DC trip that includes a series of high-level engagements with U.S. and world leaders. President Duque’s DC agenda, arranged by the Embassy of Colombia in Washington, DC, includes:

· White House Meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump

o The Venezuelan regional crisis and Colombia’s leadership role in standing up to the oppressive Maduro regime and providing humanitarian assistance to millions of Venezuelan refugees are among the topics on the two leaders’ agenda. (Read more about the crisis in President Duque’s February 27, 2020, Washington Post op-Ed.)

o The two leaders will also discuss ways to strengthen the bilateral security and economic partnerships.

o This is the fourth time Presidents Duque and Trump have met since August 2018, two times at the White House and two times during the UN General Assembly.

· Address to American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) 2020 Policy Conference

o President Duque will join U.S. and world leaders in addressing the AIPAC 2020 Policy Conference. He will speak at Monday morning’s opening plenary session. Featured speakers at the session include Vice President Mike Pence, among others.

o He will reaffirm Colombia’s strong relationship with Israel and commitment to combatting threats to the Jewish community in Latin America, including Hezbollah.

· Meeting with National Security Council Officials at the White House

· Meeting with the Business Council for International Understanding on Strengthening Economic Partnerships

o President Duque will meet with top executives of leading businesses to discuss strengthening economic partnerships and expanding private sector investment in Colombia.

· Signing of Agreement with Head of Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

o President Duque will sign an agreement with IDB President Luis Moreno to strengthen services exports and attract foreign investment in critical areas, including infrastructure and agriculture.

· Will Present the Opportunities of Colombia’s ‘Orange Economy’ to National Endowment for the Humanities

o The ‘Orange Economy’ is President Duque’s plan to grow Colombia’s economy through its creative industry — a sector whose goods and services are based on intellectual property, estimated to make up about 6 percent of the world’s GDP.

o President Duque’s goal is for the Orange Economy to represent 10 percent of Colombia’s GDP, up from the current 3.3 percent, which would put it at roughly the same place as the manufacturing industry.

President Duque will be joined Monday by Colombian Ambassador to the United States Francisco Santos; Colombian Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo; Colombian Foreign Affairs Minister Claudia Blum; and Colombian Commerce Minister José Manuel Restrepo.

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