Mission

The U.S. Office on Colombia is an independent non-profit organization, not affiliated with any political party, that seeks to educate U.S. policymakers, the media and the U.S. public about the impact of U.S. policy on Colombia. The U.S. Office on Colombia strives to shape more informed and humane U.S. policy in Colombia by connecting members of Colombian civil society with U.S. policy makers, and by involving U.S. citizens in the policy-making process.

Strategic Vision

The U.S. Office on Colombia believes in working in collaboration with all sectors of society and seeks to develop its goals through coalition building. It works alongside those who have least access to power to give them an opportunity to speak directly to policy makers. USOC is uniquely positioned to ensure that Colombian civil society is represented alongside that of governments in policy development.

The U.S. Office on Colombia works primarily through coalition building. It has played a leading role in the establishment of a national U.S. non-profit policy working group on Colombia, the Colombian Steering Committee (CSC). The CSC now has over 30 members from across the nation and has made key contributions to the development of U.S. policy in the region by increasing respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, promoting alternatives to forced aerial fumigation and developing proposals to further the peace process.

Mandate & History

The U.S. Office on Colombia (USOC) was established in 1998 (originally under the name US/Colombia Coordinating Office) in response to the continuing human rights crisis in Colombia and the desire by many Colombian civil society groups to have an organization in Washington that could assist and represent them in their efforts to educate U.S. decision makers about the impact of U.S. policy on the region.

USOC seeks to promote peace, democracy, and human rights and international humanitarian law in Colombia by providing detailed, informed analysis to assist in the development of alternative policy solutions. To this end it maintains relations with the U.S. administration, Congress, Colombian authorities and EU governments and encourages each to examine these questions from new perspectives. Through advocacy and education with the media and public it aims to broaden knowledge, understanding and debate of such key issues. In particular it seeks to support initiatives from Colombian civil society, whose voice is so often marginalized in a society polarized by conflict.

USOC is an independent non-profit organization that is not affiliated with any political party.

The U.S. Office on Colombia is an independent non-profit organization, not affiliated with any political party, that seeks to educate U.S. policymakers, the media and the U.S. public about the impact of U.S. policy on Colombia.