MoU ANLA/MADS/NCEA - Colombia

In 2024, the NCEA signed a 1-year MoU with the National Agency for Environmental Licensing (ANLA) in Colombia. ANLA wished to continue collaboration and proposed an updated version of the MoU. At that occasion, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADS) suggested to instead develop a tripartite MoU (ANLA/MADS/NCEA). This MoU is expected to be signed early 2026. In line with the ongoing MoU commitments, the NCEA visited Colombia in September 2025 to continue collaboration with ANLA and MADS. A fruitful meeting with ANLA, MADS, the Ministry of mining and Energy (MME), and the Dutch Embassy was organized to discuss the 2026 cooperation agenda, particularly around the topics SEA, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), and environmental licensing.   During our visit we also contributed to two major events in Santa Marta - the XII Regional Policy Dialogue and the II ANLA International Congress. During our participation in a panel discussion, we emphasised the strategic and important role of SEA in shaping development visions. 

Amongst the proposed areas of collaboration are the following topics related to ESIA and SEA:
– onshore and offshore energy, solar energy and hydrogen, energy transtion in general
– (coal) mine abandonment and closure
– cumulative and synergic impacts with a focus on mining projects
– human rights and equality in environmental assessment licensing procedures
– technical cooperation in the pro tempore presidency by ANLA in the Latin American Network on ESIA, contribuing with knowlegde and experience in exchange events
– capacity development of ANLA/MADS and the Ministry of Mining and Energy in SEA with a focus on Marine Spatial Planning and sharing of SEA experiences for renewable energy projects.