Cerrejón signs new consultation agreements with 21 indigenous communities

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19 October, 2022. Cerrejón has signed new consultation agreements with 21 indigenous communities, located in the municipalities of Manaure, Uribia, and Maicao, in compliance with the provisions of Constitutional Court ruling T-704. The consultation processes were accompanied by the Uribia Secretary of Indigenous Affairs, the Maicao Ombudsman’s Office, the NGO Wayuu Nation, and the National Authority for Environmental Licenses (ANLA). With this signature, Cerrejón has already reached agreements with 240 indigenous communities in the framework of ruling T-704, out of a total of 405 indigenous communities, which established that the company should carry out an immediate mitigation plan for the communities in the area of influence and consult with them on the necessary compensation regarding possible impacts caused during the company’s entire operation. 69 communities that have signed agreements have been represented by the NGO Nación Wayuu.

“Today, once again, with the support of Cerrejón, we were able to file protocols with twenty communities in the framework of ruling T 7-04. It is a life opportunity because in one way or another we are looking for them to develop projects within their territory, framed within this ruling. We applaud the initiative and thank Cerrejón for their support," said José Silva Duarte, president of the NGO Wayuu Nation.

Agreements with communities have included compensation measures to address social and cultural impacts such as income generation projects related to livestock activities; cultural strengthening initiatives including harmonisation rituals and new engagement protocols; and infrastructure for the general benefit of the community. The projects reflect proposals made by the community representatives.

"The meeting we had today is very beneficial, we are going to receive it very well because we need it. For us it has been a blessing from God, we suffer from many needs and we agree with the protocolization that we made here," said Teófilo Gómez, authority traditional of the Puay community.

Communities will be encouraged to manage these initiatives and their requirements with respect to the implementation of these projects will be respected.

To this date, as part of the 240 agreements reached in the framework of the Constitutional Court ruling, Cerrejón has made progress on the implementation of agreements reached with 187 communities through fulfillment of approximately 723 initiatives under the following 6 lines of social investment: 

• Infrastructure for water solutions: Irrigation systems, construction of hydro-silos, improvement of reservoirs, storage tanks, tank cars.
• Infrastructure for education: Improvement and conditioning of educational infrastructure and recreational bowers.
• Infrastructure for basic sanitation: Tank projects for water storage, wastewater treatment units, sanitary units.
• Income generation projects for communities: Seed plan for handicrafts, breeding of goats, sheep and bovines, planting, bread crops.
• Infrastructure for the general benefit of the community: Improvement of cemetery, construction and improvement of arbors.
• Cultural strengthening projects: Training on cultural issues, improvement of artisanal, livestock and agricultural techniques, relationship protocols, oversight committees, harmonization rituals.

After a consultation process based on collaborative dialogue, the communities are working on the materialization of their initiatives, which Cerrejón will continue to support.