We are working to build trust, credibility and legitimacy of government institutions. We also work to increase the capacity of sub-national governments to effectively deliver public services in areas where effective state presence has historically been limited, including communities that are coping with the challenges created by the influx of Venezuelan and Colombian returnees.

Colombian municipalities are now able to mobilize public funds for critical development needs and are advancing on their journey to self-reliance.

Thanks to RGA-supported tax reforms, we helped to make $118 million accessible for investment by Colombia’s departments. Additionally, 55 new businesses have been created through the Areas Most Affected by Armed Conflict mechanism, which gives tax breaks to new businesses. Finally, 33,000 people now have access to state services via Integrated Services Centers.

Our financial management support focused on increasing the impact of public investments by building the capacity of departmental and municipal offices to better complete each step of the public management cycle. With our support, $262.7 million has been mobilized by 281 projects financed with public resources.

We supported the allocation of more than $112 million in public funds, working with citizens in oversight groups. The impact of citizen participation can be seen through our roads work in Tolima, where over 40,000 people from community action boards and businesses participated in the Mixed Public/Community Road Manager Model.

We have also promoted greater inclusion of women and vulnerable populations, such as Afro-Colombians, indigenous peoples, and LGBTQ individuals.

The RGA project is one of many in the last decade to achieve USAID’s overall objective “to strengthen Colombia’s capacity to implement a sustainable and inclusive peace.” We strive to achieve this objective through our close work with USAID, the Government of Colombia, and local partners on both RGA and the related Transforma and its follow-on Transforma 2 programs that support implementation of Colombia’s peace agreement.