This graduate in political science and sustainable development, who owes her surname to her Palestinian grandfather, started by working for the oil company Shell at the age of 26. But the idealistic sustainability consultant, noting that the transition promised by the advertisements was not there, resigned a little later. Susana Muhamad is now one of the most prominent politicians against the fossil fuel industry. The Colombian government is indeed seeking to move away from gas, coal and oil, claiming to want to base its wealth on its biodiversity.
Colombia: truce of a faction of the FARC dissidence for COP16
Susana Muhamad, whom some see as the future successor of President Gustavo Petro, also embodies the desire of the left-wing government to “putting nature at the service of peace”. And this, after years of conflict involving various guerrillas.
As part of Cop 16, Susana Muhamad and Colombian leaders present the peace agreement concluded with these armed groups as an objective also integrating climate resilience and the restoration of nature. But the minister recognizes that her country is not at the end of its troubles, in particular because of deforestation for the production of coca intended for drug trafficking. Production which has surged since “disarmed” guerrillas turned into illegal farmers. Not to mention that a group of rebels rejecting the peace agreement also poses a security threat to the Cop.
It also remains to be seen, wonders the expert Juliette Landry, if “his aura and his charisma” will enable it to fulfill its role of “facilitatrice” at Cop 16 when major obstacles arise in the negotiations. Response from October 21.
