Bogota, Colombia - On April 21 and 22, the Government of the United States and the Government of Colombia co-hosted the Annual Plenary Meeting of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights Initiative (VPs Initiative) in Bogota, Colombia. This was the first plenary hosted in a country where the VPs are being implemented, offering a unique opportunity to focus on challenges and opportunities related to implementation, and enhancing our ability to show Latin American countries and other regional stakeholders what can be accomplished through the VPs process. At the meeting, Argentina announced its intent to join the VPs Initiative.

The plenary marked the culmination of the U.S. Government’s one-year chairmanship of the VPs Initiative. We made progress on several things this year including revision and clarification of the entry criteria for new members; updates to the reporting guidelines for VPs participants to encourage more robust corporate reporting on security and human rights; and implementation of a framework to allow regular verification of members’ implementation of their respective roles and responsibilities.

U.S. Government leadership in the VPs initiative is an example of this Administration’s commitment to partner with corporations, other governments, and civil society groups to promote responsible business conduct and collectively address human rights challenges.