The Andean-U.S. Dialogue Forum Background

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The Andean – U.S. Dialogue Forum was proposed to address a variety of ongoing complex and interrelated issues. Democratic stability and governance in the Andean countries are negatively impacted by a lack of cooperation to address shared threats. Illegal armed actors and organized crime do not respect national boundaries, environmental damage spills over to neighboring countries, internal turmoil and conflict produce displaced people and refugees, and broken diplomatic relations and ideological divisions hamper trade. In addition, strained relations with the United States contribute to the disputes among Andean countries and impede cooperation to achieve greater security and economic well-being for the Andean people. Similarly, progress on curtailing criminal activities, increasing energy supplies, and creating stable commercial and investment relationships is hindered by these conditions. By creating a common understanding and agenda through the Andean-U.S. Dialogue Forum, resolution of these problems can be collectively and more effectively pursued.

Comprised of groups of influential non-governmental actors from various sectors within each country, the forum strives to increase mutual understanding among societies and governments in the region; create collaborative initiatives around issues of mutual concern; and promote cooperation and exchange of information between individuals, organizations, and governments in the United States and the Andean nations. The initiative enjoys the political backing of the Andean presidents as well as the support of the U.S. State Department.

The initiative is based on the Carter Center-United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) successful Colombia-Ecuador Bi-national Dialogue (2007-09), which played a key role in the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In November 2007, the Center, in partnership with the UNDP, created a Bi-national Dialogue Group of approximately 20 Ecuadorian and Colombian citizens, who were chosen to join the group because they had the ability to influence decision-makers within their governments and/or could influence public opinion. Although this project was originally designed to help create bridges between the distancing Ecuadorian and Colombian societies, the personal relationships developed between group members allowed the group to become active in using unofficial back-channels and their public platforms to advocate for the restoration of diplomatic relationships and to exert pressure on their governments after relations broke officially in March of 2008.  This exercise helped develop the methodology for the U.S. Andean Dialogue Forum.

The Carter Center has partnered with International IDEA to implement this project. International IDEA has promoted high-level dialogues in the Andean Region since 2002. At the national level, IDEA has facilitated multi-party political reform processes that have resulted in far-reaching legislation in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. In Bolivia, IDEA is supporting analysis and consensus-building on the use of hydrocarbon resources for sustainable poverty reduction.  IDEA is widely recognized in the Andean countries as an impartial actor with strong convening capacity. At the international level, IDEA has accompanied the Grupo del Rio and Andean Community dialogue activities.