In continuation of her visit to Columbia, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić met with Defence Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno for talks on cooperation in military industry, mine clearance and shipbuilding (patrol boats).
The Croatian delegation also included representatives of the Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC) and retired general Milan Knežević of the Alan Agency.
"One of the main topics discussed was the compilation of a list of bilateral agreements that will facilitate doing business for our businesses, some of which are already present in Columbia, but also for Colombian businesses to do business in Croatia," Pusić said.
Bueno said Colombia was well familiar with Croatia, notably our sportsmen. "We are interested in your story, your experience of war and a post-conflict transition, and how you moved ahead. That gives us hope," Bueno said. He underscored that Colombia was particularly interested in mine clearance and that it already had experience with Croatian products, including boots, helmets and mine removal machines produced by the DOK-ING company. "We believe that Croatia can be our strategic partner in Europe, considering its membership of the European Union," Bueno said and pointed out that Colombia was probably the only Latin American country that has some form of security arrangement with NATO.
Pusić pointed out that Croatia had a police academy attended by officers from abroad as well, offering know-how for peacekeeping missions within NATO, which had transformed the perception of our region and placed Croatia at the forefront of stabilizing the Balkans. “We often combine military missions with civilian projects, as that is the only way to ensure sustainable peace and stability in conflict and post-conflict environments,” Pusić said. She added that energy security was also very important, briefly informing Bueno about Croatia’s energy projects, underlining that energy security was an indivisible part of military and police security.
Colombia is joining the Atalanta Operation, which Croatia is already a part of, so the two countries will be able to cooperate in that area as well.
At the end of the meeting, a memorandum of understanding was signed between CROMAC and the Colombian Ministry of Defence on mine action and humanitarian demining.