Colombia

This short note provides a general overview of the configuration of the four major armed groups engaged in dialogue and negotiations with the Colombian government. It aims to give a glimpse of the complexity of these structures and the different challenges facing the negotiation process, including the numerous disputes over territorial control and illicit economies, internal divisions, and the questions raised by the process in a humanitarian crisis mainly resulting from the armed conflict. This note is meant to provide additional information and support the Colombia Risk Analysis Update.

This report is available in Spanish here

Between January–September 2022, more than 150,000 people crossed into Panama from Colombia through the Darién Gap. Of this number, 71% were Venezuelans. Around 14,500 were children. Although migrants have historically used the Darién route to reach Central America, the flow of migrants through this route considerably increased between 2021–2022. A large number of migrants stranded on the Colombian side of the border, generating needs for healthcare, food, and shelter.

In 2022, high levels of violence, poverty, and unmet basic needs have worsened the humanitarian crisis in the subregions of Telembí, Sanquianga, and Pacífico Sur in Nariño department. As at 31 August, armed conflict affected a total of 86,400 people in 45 events. In the same period, the conflict killed 12 human rights defenders, including one Afro-descendant and nine indigenous people, and armed groups committed five massacres affecting 17 people.

This report aims to provide an overview of the displacement and confinement situation and the differentiated impact on indigenous peoples and Afrodescendant communities observed between January–August 2022. It presents the main conflict dynamics in the subregions of Telembí, Sanquianga, and Pacífico del Sur in Nariño department.

This report is available in Spanish here.

Putumayo, a department in southwest Colombia bordering Ecuador and Perú, is a strategic corridor for human trafficking, drug and arms trafficking, and resource extraction. The collective Putumayo-Caquetá zone has 22,041 hectares of coca crops, making it the third-largest zone in the country. Around 348,000 people, or 0.8% of the national population, live in Putumayo. 50,694 people (18% of the Putumayo population) are indigenous, and 10,262 (4%) are Afro-Colombians. Indigenous communities are especially at risk of confinement and limitations on their daily activities.

Access the report in Spanish here.

ACAPS identified five risks to the humanitarian context and published an overview report in November 2021 looking at the following six months. After monitoring each risk and its corresponding indicators and reviewing any relevant developments since November, ACAPS analysts and technical experts were able to update the risk outlook, creating the basis for this risk update.

Access the report in Spanish here.

The departments of Meta and Guaviare have historically been affected by Colombia’s armed conflict because of the presence of armed groups that seek to control strategic routes for the commercialisation of drugs and for irregular economies. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of local dynamics, humanitarian needs and the factors likely to aggravate them, and an outlook for the coming months in the departments of Meta and Guaviare. The analysis is based on secondary data and KIIs.

Access the report in Spanish here

This risk report seeks to inform humanitarian decision makers and facilitate response planning through an analysis of the following:

• the possible evolution of the crisis dynamics in Colombia over the next six months (November 2021 to April 2022)
• factors that may lead to changes in the humanitarian situation
• humanitarian needs that may arise if risks materialise.

Access the report in Spanish here.

On 27 August 2021, the Cauca River in the north of Colombia flooded, causing serious damage to five municipalities in La Mojana subregion. La Mojana is located in the north of Colombia, between the departments of Bolivar, Sucre, Antioquia, and Cordoba. It is surrounded by the Magdalena, Cauca, and San Jorge rivers. The flooding was a result of atypical rains during August and a rupture in a dam that functioned as a retaining wall for the river, affecting all municipalities of the subregion.

ACAPS Global Risk Analysis outlines a number of key contexts where a notable deterioration may occur within the next six months, leading to a spike in humanitarian needs. We continue to monitor closely the risks identified in order to establish how they have evolved and if they have materialised. You can find the updates of the risks identified in Global Risk Report – October 2020 at the end of this analysis. The objective is to enable humanitarian decisionmakers to understand potential changes that could have humanitarian consequences. By exposing the possible developments and understanding their impact, these potential changes can be taken into account in planning and preparedness.

As at 29 October 2020, Latin America had reported close to 10.9 million cases of COVID-19 and close to 393,000 deaths. The region accounts for less than one tenth of the world’s population, yet has one third of the recorded deaths from COVID-19. Most schools in the region have remained closed since initial lockdown in March. Only two countries, Nicaragua and Uruguay, have fully reopened schools, while Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia have partially reopened schools. Schools in the remaining 12 countries of Central and Southern America remain closed, the majority through the end of 2020 or early 2021. As at 30 September, approximately 98% of more than 131 million school-aged children in Latin America were not receiving face-to-face education.

Read the report in Spanish

This risk report seeks to inform humanitarian decision-makers and facilitate response planning through an analysis of possible evolution of the crisis dynamics in Colombia over the next six months in 2020 and into early 2021, factors that will likely provoke a change in the situation and humanitarian needs which are likely to arise if the risks materialize.
The first case of COVID-19 in Colombia was reported on 6 March 2020. As of 7 September, 666.500 cases of COVID-19 have been reported. Bogotá, the capital city, is the most affected area, with 226.000 cases. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the Colombian government has implemented a series of containment measures, including closure of borders and schools and a national lockdown. 

Read the report in Spanish

ACAPS Humanitarian Access Overview provides a snapshot of the contexts where humanitarian action faces the biggest constraints. Our analysts have scored each context on nine variables in order to rank and compare humanitarian access worldwide. Crisis affected populations in about 60 countries are not getting the humanitarian assistance they need due to access constraints. Eight new countries were included in the ranking since the last ACAPS HumanitarianAccess report released in May 2019. Among the indicators, ‘Physical constraints’ and ‘Restrictions and obstruction to services and assistance’ are the most common challenges. This report presents the score boards for all the countries assessed. Narratives are provided only for countries with high, very high, or extreme constraints.

The economic crisis in Venezuela has led to a deterioration of the humanitarian conditions and increased humanitarian needs. Import restrictions and hyperinflation reduce availability and access to basic goods and services. The economic crisis is exacerbated by a political crisis revolving around the erosion of democratic institutions. While the number of people in need in Venezuela and the severity of need is unclear due to lack of data, surveys conducted by local organisations point to an increasingly dire situation. Migration to other countries in South America, particularly Colombia and Brazil, has significantly increased since 2017 and the host countries are increasingly struggling to receive these arrivals. Over one million Venezuelans are estimated to live in Colombia, up from some 300,000 in mid-2017. Priority needs of people affected by the crisis inside Venezuela include food, health, nutrition, and protection. Many migrants from Venezuela hosted by countries in the region also face growing humanitarian concerns, particularly protection and shelter needs.