On the occasion of the deployment of the C-130 Hercules aircraft of the Colombian Aerospace Force, within the framework of the VII Air Campaign and XI Scientific Expedition of Colombia to the Antarctic continent austral summer 2024-2025 from January 28 to February 07, 2025, which aims to continue projecting the country in accordance with the roadmap drawn up to be a consultative member of the Antarctic Treaty System-STA, through permanent scientific research for the benefit of humanity and the protection of this important ecosystem for the conservation of the planet; as well as, in the strengthening and obtaining of new resources of the military operation in training, standardizing procedures and crew certification that leads operating safely in extreme environments such as the Antarctic territory in compliance with the mission.
After the arrival in the city of Punta Arenas, in Chile, the Commander of the Antarctic mission, Brigadier General Adilson Bueno Pineda accompanied the delegates of the governmental institutions led by Mrs. Yesenia Olaya Requene Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr. Sebastián Guanumen Parra Ambassador of Colombia to the Republic of Chile, Mr. Javier Parra Director of Territorial Sovereignty of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other representatives of the Colombian Antarctic Program, an interdisciplinary team who held different meetings with the Deputy Governor of Magallanes Eugenia Mancilla and with Mr. Andrés López Deputy Director of the Chilean Antarctic Institute-INACH focused on establishing guidelines and objectives, regarding the political development of Antarctic affairs, from the perspective and structure of each institution and country.
In this way, the meetings held by the institutions of Chile and Colombia contributed to the strengthening of consolidating efficient and active communication channels faced with the possibility of contributing on issues of strategic interest of the international agenda in a geopolitical field, in which the Antarctic continent becomes important in the field of cooperation and union on issues of common and peaceful interest in peace, climate impact mitigation, environmental conservation, flora, fauna and humanity in general.
Finally, the Colombian Aerospace Force, considering the mission, will continue to promote relations with the countries that operate in the Antarctic territory, generating alliances in logistics, scientific research, exploration in space issues and others promoting the project of the permanent operation of the Colombian Antarctic Scientific Station.
Source: International Affairs Office - OFASI
