Colombia president‑elect Abelardo de la Espriella appoints new UNGRD and SENA directors

President‑elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced the appointment of Ricardo Torres Castro, a Dominican friar, as director of the Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA). The mandate calls for modernising technical and technological training, restoring confidence among employers, and expanding the institution’s role in social mobility ahead of the new government’s start on 7 August 2026.

At the same time, geologist and risk‑management expert David Santiago Tamayo Roldán was named director of the Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (UNGRD). Tamayo is tasked with rebuilding the agency’s credibility after recent corruption scandals, strengthening technical decision‑making, and improving Colombia’s capacity to respond to natural‑hazard events such as floods and droughts. Both appointments form part of the broader cabinet formation announced by de la Espriella, which also includes diplomatic and advisory posts.