As part of the SERVIR-Amazonia Program’s work to strengthen and expand the use of its services to monitor illegal mining and hydrometeorological phenomena, a technical team of the Program held meetings with key stakeholders in Colombia from January 17 to 19 of this starting 2023.

On January 17, the team introduced the Program to the Colombian Ministry of Environment and made a demonstration of the Colombian Mining Monitoring (COMIMO) service developed with Universidad del Rosario, as well as the hydrometeorological monitoring service developed with IDEAM. The Ministry expressed a great interest in introducing COMIMO to the National University of Colombia (UNAL) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Furthermore, there was a great interest in promoting the hydrometeorological service along with National Environmental System (SINA) and the National Climate Change System (SISCLIMA), as well as in developing a unique platform to manage and organize satellites data for these two institutions.

COMIMO's demonstration to Ministry of Environment of Colombia

COMIMO’s demonstration to the Ministry of Environment of Colombia

The technical team also held on this day a similar meeting with the Orinoquia Regional Autonomous Corporation (Corporinoquia), the Government of the Vichada department, UNAL, and Ecoinversión to introduce the COMIMO service and to better articulate the initiative of Forest Barriers.

Corporinoquia and UNAL presentation

On January 18, the SERVIR-Amazonia technical team held a meeting with the Systems Department of UNAL’s Engineering Faculty to evaluate potential alliances for joint training and scholarships on technical areas related to the Program.

Finally, on January 19, the team held two more meetings. One with the National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD) to involve them as final users of the hydrometeorological service and the other with the National Authority for Environmental Licensing (ANLA) to identify their needs and priorities regarding the use of the COMIMO service.

Meeting with the National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA) of Colombia