Bogota became this week the meeting point of two regions linked by a shared history of colonization, slavery, and resistance. The CELAC–Africa High-Level Forum, held between March 18 and 21 in the Colombian capital, brings together delegations from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the African continent with an agenda that seeks more than cooperation: it aims to revisit the past and redefine the place of the Global South in the international order.
The gathering, promoted by the Colombian government within the framework of its pro tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), is presented as a political and symbolic step toward historical reparation and the building of strategic alliances.
In a global context marked by geopolitical tensions and climate crises, the meeting in Bogota sends a clear signal: countries of the Global South are seeking to coordinate in order to gain greater weight in global decision-making. The meeting is driven and led by Colombia’s vice president, Francia Marquez, the first Black woman to hold this position in the history of the South American country.
The meeting will close tomorrow, Saturday, with the summit of CELAC heads of state and the handover of the organization’s pro tempore presidency, which will pass from Colombia to Uruguay.
CELAC–Africa forum confronts the past, strengthens ties in Colombia
The central figure of the forum is Colombia’s vice president, Francia Marquez, who has led the strategy of rapprochement with Africa since the beginning of the current government. Her role is not merely protocolary: she has been the main promoter of a foreign policy that seeks to reconnect Colombia with the African continent and with its own diaspora.
The forum is part of that roadmap. Marquez has defined it as a space to “open pathways that strengthen South-South cooperation” in political, economic, cultural, and academic spheres. Under her leadership, the meeting brings to the table not only trade and investment, but also historical debates on structural inequality and racial justice.
The vice president has insisted that the relationship between the two regions cannot be limited to the economic sphere. In her opening remarks, she raised the need to build a joint agenda that addresses common challenges such as climate change, poverty, and hunger, and that promotes peace in territories affected by conflicts.
One of the central axes of the forum is the discussion of the consequences of colonialism and slavery. Yesterday’s session was devoted precisely to historical reparations, a topic that has gained ground on the international agenda and that is addressed directly at this meeting.
The organizers argue that recognizing this shared past makes it possible to build fairer and more balanced cooperation policies. Latin America and Africa share trajectories marked by resource exploitation, political exclusion, and social inequality, which gives meaning to an alliance presented as strategic in the 21st century.
At the same time, the forum is also conceived as a high-level academic and political space. Universities, think tanks, and multilateral organizations are participating in discussions that seek to articulate common positions in international arenas, from the United Nations to climate negotiations.
Participation, dialogue tables, and thematic axes
The forum brings together representatives from the 33 countries that make up CELAC, as well as delegations from the African Union, in a meeting that encompasses more than 2 billion people across both regions. It is one of the largest platforms for political dialogue among the so-called Global South in recent years.
CELAC, which groups all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, acts as the regional interlocutor in this process. On the African side, governments, regional organizations, and economic actors interested in strengthening ties with Latin America are taking part.
The event is being held at Bogota’s Agora Convention Center and includes the participation of government officials, business leaders, academics, and civil society representatives. The diversity of actors reflects the forum’s multidimensional nature, which is not limited to traditional diplomacy.
The forum’s agenda is structured around several dialogue tables addressing strategic issues for both regions. The opening session focused on South-South cooperation, with an emphasis on concrete mechanisms for political, economic, and technical coordination.
Among the main axes are social issues, food sovereignty, innovation and development, and human security. These topics are being addressed in at least nine thematic spaces designed to produce concrete outcomes and cooperation agreements.
The economic component carries significant weight. According to official data, at least 145 Colombian companies already export to Africa, an indicator of the growth potential of bi-regional trade. The forum seeks to expand these figures through business partnerships, investment, and technology transfer.
Issues such as the energy transition, biodiversity protection, and a joint response to climate change are also being discussed. Both regions hold a significant share of the planet’s natural resources, giving them a key role in the global environmental agenda.
Con la moderación de la Vicepresidenta @FranciaMarquezM se desarrolló el primer panel de la segunda jornada del Foro de Alto Nivel #CELACÁFRICA2026, un espacio estratégico de diálogo, que reconoce la necesidad de una reparación integral y de la dignificación de los pueblos. pic.twitter.com/o3YlcxDoWu
— Vicepresidencia Colombia (@ViceColombia) March 19, 2026
A bet on the Global South
Beyond specific agreements, the CELAC–Africa forum has a geopolitical dimension. In a complex international landscape, Latin America and Africa are seeking to position themselves as actors with their own voice. Coordination between the two regions—along with reclaiming a shared, often painful past—aims to strengthen their capacity to influence multilateral organizations and to promote reforms that expand representation for countries of the Global South.
The meeting in Bogota also reflects a shift in Colombian foreign policy. Under Marquez’s leadership, the country has promoted a strategy of engagement with Africa that includes official visits, trade agreements, and cooperation programs. The forum appears as the consolidation of that process.
The ambition is clear: to move from historically marginal relations to a structural alliance based on shared interests. Along this path, acknowledging the past—marked by colonization and slavery—becomes a starting point for building a shared future.
The challenge will be to translate rhetoric into concrete results. But, at least for now, Bogota has become the setting for an effort to rebalance international relations from the Global South and to strengthen ties that for centuries remained fragmented.
“Es un acto de justicia con nuestras ancestras y ancestros”. 💪🏾
Con estas palabras, la Vicepresidenta @FranciaMarquezM dio inicio a la agenda de Reparación Histórica y Justicia Étnico-Racial del Foro #CELACÁFRICA2026. ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/6ARJAOrdHz
— Vicepresidencia Colombia (@ViceColombia) March 19, 2026