On Thursday, January 24 and Friday, January 25, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and nine Democratic Members of the U.S. Congress visited Medellín, Colombia.  During the visit, USAID Mission Director Liliana Ayalde led Secretary Rice on an unplanned visit through a USAID fair for producers of specialty coffees, chocolate, and Afro-Colombian and indigenous handicrafts.  Secretary Rice and the congressional delegation also met with beneficiaries of the Demobilization and Reintegration Program, as well as with internally displaced persons involved in a job generation project carried out in partnership with the Colombian Flower Growers Association.  The visit also included separate meetings on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), including with groups supporting and opposing the FTA, Colombia's Prosecutor General, and representatives of Colombia's flower industry.  These meetings gave Members of Congress an opportunity to learn about Colombians' perspectives on labor issues and the FTA.

USAID Administrator and Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance Henrietta H. Fore visited Peru from January 10 - 12.  Her robust schedule included several ministerial meetings, the signing of a major public-private partnership, a visit to see USAID projects in the highlands region of Ayacucho, and the signature of a new joint project with the Government of Peru. 

One of the highlights of the visit was Administrator Fore’s signing of declarations of cooperation with the leadership of three major mining companies in Peru.  Over the past several years, the mining sector in Peru has experienced a period of growth and profitability, making available substantial resources for development programs.  The declarations signed by the Administrator build on existing, smaller Global Development Alliances between USAID/Peru and two of the companies and seek to expand these partnerships.