Contemporary Challenges in Colombia: An Afro-Colombian Perspective.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, and members of this distinguished Sub-Committee. My name is Luis Gilberto Murillo-Urrutia. I am Colombian and now serve as Senior Fellow on International Policy at the Phelps Stokes Fund, a nearly 100-year-old organization that seeks to promote justice through education and leadership in communities of color, globally. I am very pleased to appear before this important Subcommittee. Let me first express my appreciation to members of this Subcommittee for their leadership and ongoing interest in Colombia. Also, I am grateful to members of the Congressional Black Caucus for their steadfast support to Afro-Colombians. As requested, my remarks this afternoon, from an Afro-Colombian perspective, will focus on my assessment of current U.S. policy toward Colombia, the Colombian government's efforts to reduce violence and bring an end to the armed conflict, and the future of U.S. assistance to Colombia.