WASHINGTON, 21 October 2021, (TON): US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has said that it’s wonderful to be here with all of you, with both of these remarkable teams, the teams behind the teams, because we know where the real work gets done. We’re grateful to all of you. 

And Marta Lucia, thank you so much for hosting us.  I had the chance to welcome you to the State Department a few months ago, so I’m very grateful to be here in Bogota, to the Palacio San Carlos, and to be with all of you.

So this is, in fact, the ninth High-Level Dialogue.  I am not new to the High-Level Dialogue.  I actually participated in at least two of them, maybe even three of them, back in 2015, 2016.  And I think what the continuity tells you is that this relationship transcends any administration or any political party in either of our countries, and that’s important. 

It also extends far beyond our governments, civil society, the private sector, families, communities.  So while this High-Level Dialogue is taking place, there are countless other dialogues happening every single day at every level between Colombians and Americans, and that really is the fabric that joins us.

I think if anyone needed to be convinced of the breadth and depth of the relationship between our countries, the areas that we’re working on together, that are having an impact on the lives of our citizens, all they had to do was listen to the vice president, because with tremendous eloquence, you covered so much that we’re working on together.  And I think that’s evidence of everything that brings us together.