US President Joe Biden said in a memo that he has officially designated Colombia as an important non-NATO ally of the United States.
The designation will give Colombia the opportunity to benefit from special access to U.S. military and economic programs, but does not provide security guarantees like those given to NATO members.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Colombian counterpart last week about U.S. plans to designate Colombia a major non-NATO ally. The two defense leaders discussed the importance of maintaining a strong U.S.-Colombia defense relationship and strengthening cooperation on strategic issues of mutual interest in Latin America, according to the Defense Department.