On February 20, IRI-Colombia held a high-level bilateral meeting with Dolores Barrientos Alemán, director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Colombia, at the agency’s offices in Bogotá. The meeting was consolidated as a space for strategic dialogue key to deepening inter-institutional cooperation around the protection of the Amazon, climate action and the strengthening of environmental governance in the country.
During the meeting, the progress of the program was reviewed and the strategic lines of the IRI-Colombia work plan for 2026 were shared, a year that is projected to be decisive for consolidating processes, scaling up results and strengthening public advocacy, especially in the work with legislators and decision-makers.
The dialogue allowed for the exchange of perspectives on the environmental challenges facing Colombia and the role that religious leaders and faith-based organizations can play as strategic allies in mobilizing society, strengthening the social legitimacy of public policies, and promoting climate action based on ethical and spiritual values.
The UNEP representative in Colombia highlighted the importance of 2026 as a key stage to consolidate the progress made and strengthen joint work with the legislative branch. For its part, IRI-Colombia reiterated its commitment to continue strengthening the articulation with this organization as a fundamental strategic partner to promote comprehensive solutions to the climate crisis and Amazon deforestation.
This meeting reaffirms the joint will to deepen cooperation between UNEP and IRI-Colombia, consolidating a strategic alliance aimed at strengthening advocacy, social mobilization and climate action in favor of the Amazon and Colombia’s environmental future.
