- This is a joint effort between ISA, ISA Intercolombia, ISA Transelca, Ruta Costera, UNDP and Fundación Barco, which together with the communities, governments and local institutions are launching the roadmap for sustainable development by 2041 in Atlántico and Bolívar.
- The process of building the agendas took place through workshops, work groups and room for building agreements in which close to 600 stakeholders participated in seven municipalities in the Colombian Caribbean.
A territory with the capacity to “disoñar” (design-dream)(action of creating by dreaming) was the starting point where a commitment with transformation in the municipalities of Sabanalarga, Luruaco, Piojó, Santa Catalina, Clemencia, Villanueva and Santa Rosa began, where strategic stakeholders of each territory contributed to the construction of their Sustainable Development Agendas, as a powerful tool for political, economic, social, cultural and environmental management in the creation of a sustainable future for the next 20 years.
This prospective exercise is promoted by Conexiones para el Desarrollo (Connections for Development), a program of ISA and its companies in alliance with UNDP Colombia and Fundación Barco, as a legacy for present and future generations to be protagonists in the construction and management of their well-being. This work is contained in different action fronts such as gender equality and women’s empowerment, inclusive and quality education, leadership and participation, peace, identity and pride in its ethnic and cultural heritage, promotion of its tourist wealth with environmental responsibility, among others.
The process is in line with the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, as confirmed by María Adelaida Correa, Corporate Director of Sustainability at ISA, “We are very proud of this work with purpose and strategic vision, challenging, but at the same time exciting. Building from, for and with the territories is an exercise that has been in the spirit of ISA since its origin, as a way of acting through dialogue and permanent listening. A year ago, we made the commitment to deliver this tool that constitutes the dreams of the future to 2041″.
These Sustainable Development Agendas, built for each of the 7 municipalities of the Colombian Caribbean region, will be successful to the extent that they are positioned and appropriated as a reference for prospective planning, they will guide citizen advocacy exercises as input for government programs, but above all will depend on the commitment of the communities and their leaders.
“We attend as an ethnic community, as part of the diversity that represents the Caribbean to the construction of this agenda, as a roadmap that drives actions to meet the needs of our territory, promoting a positive impact on the lives of our peoples. From Santa Catalina we reaffirm our total commitment and responsibility with this work”, stated Luis Tovar, coordinator of the Environmental Department of the Community Council of Amansaguapos, Santa Catalina, Bolivar.
With a special program, the official launch of these agendas will take place on July 7 in Sabanalarga, Atlántico, in an event where the voice of the communities will be the core of the event. “We achieved a powerful result that we share and celebrate today. The territories were empowered and decided to participate in the construction of a commitment to sustainable development. Together with local institutions, advocacy actors, unions, businesspeople, academia, and social leaders, both in the urban and rural areas of each municipality, the Sustainable Development Agendas that we are delivering today were built”, concluded Sara Ferrer, UNDP Resident Representative in Colombia.
To learn more
Conexiones para el Desarrollo is the regional program of ISA and its companies in Colombia, Peru, Chile and Brazil that works with an inspiring purpose: to strengthen educational, community and institutional capacities with the support of different allies, understanding the particular realities in each country and putting into practice more than 30 years of experience in social management, remaining consistent with the purpose of contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals expressed in its ISA2030 strategy.
In Colombia, the program is being developed in one of ISA’s areas of influence with the Sabanalarga – Bolívar interconnection project, which will connect the departments of Bolívar and Atlántico with a new 500-thousand-volt line, which will allow to serve the electric power transmission system reliably and safely in the north of the country.
