For the First Time, Colombia’s VP Will Represent the Country at UNGA

Jose Manuel Restrepo will represent Colombia at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week and will deliver the country’s speech during the general debate.

The vice president will lead the Colombian delegation at the main multilateral diplomatic forum, accompanied by Foreign Minister Omar Bula and Colombia’s ambassadors to the United States and the United Nations. His speech is scheduled for September 24.

The decision marks an unprecedented event for Colombia: it will be the first time a vice president addresses the General Assembly as the country’s highest-ranking representative without the president being present in New York.

De la Espriella had announced before taking office that he would not travel abroad during his four-year term and would focus his work on Colombia’s regions.

For the first time, Colombia’s VP will represent the country at UNGA

Restrepo’s presence in New York had already been in preparation since early September, when the vice president met with the country’s top diplomat, Bula; Colombia’s ambassador to the United States, Maria Consuelo Araujo; and Colombia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Mauricio Gaona.

The agenda will combine his participation in the General Assembly with bilateral meetings and encounters with multilateral organizations, business leaders, investors, and investment funds.

The trip will also have an economic component. The government plans to present its “Colombia Week” strategy in New York, featuring a portfolio of projects aimed at attracting foreign investment. Restrepo has also said he will seek to promote the so-called “Mision Crecer,” a strategy designed to facilitate the arrival of capital by reducing paperwork and obstacles for investors.

The new government’s international agenda also includes security and the fight against drug trafficking, two issues that have taken on particular importance in Colombia’s relationship with the United States and other international partners. In this context, Restrepo’s participation will serve to present the De la Espriella administration’s priorities to the international community.

Although this will not be the first time a Colombian vice president has addressed a session of the United Nations General Assembly, the circumstances are different this time.

In March 2022, for example, then-Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez addressed the General Assembly during the special session convened following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On that occasion, however, Colombia was represented by the government of Iván Duque, and Ramírez was also serving as foreign minister. Her remarks expressed the Colombian government’s position on the war and were aligned with the president’s statements.

Restrepo will now arrive in New York with a different responsibility. He will be the Colombian state’s highest-ranking representative physically present during the General Assembly’s High-Level Week, while De la Espriella will remain in the country in keeping with his decision not to undertake international travel during his term.

The UN has established that this year’s general debate will take place from September 22 to 28, as part of the High-Level Week of the 81st session.

Anticipation surrounding the new government’s message

Restrepo’s speech is drawing particular interest because it will be the De la Espriella government’s first major international presentation before a global audience. The speech will provide a clearer picture of how the new administration intends to project Colombia after four years under Gustavo Petro’s government, which had different priorities on foreign policy, security, the energy transition, and international relations.

Restrepo will have to convey this shift in direction in a setting where Colombia typically addresses issues such as peace, drug trafficking, climate change, international cooperation, and sustainable development.

Attention will also focus on how the government frames its relationship with the United States, foreign investment, and regional security.

The expectations go beyond the content of the speech. Restrepo’s presence will also put to the test the new role De la Espriella has decided to give the vice presidency in international and economic affairs and government coordination. The president has assigned him new responsibilities related to state transformation, investment, energy, economic growth, and competitiveness.

Thus, his September 24 appearance will mean more than simply replacing the president on an international trip. For the first time, Restrepo will be Colombia’s main voice at the UN General Assembly without the head of state by his side, at a moment when the country has just ushered in a new government and is seeking to explain to the world the priorities of a new political era.