WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) held the fourth annual U.S.-Colombia Business Summit with more than 90 representatives of the public and private sectors to advance a policy agenda that strengthens cooperation between the bilateral business community and expands business and economic opportunities.
President Iván Duque participated in the Summit and delivered remarks highlighting the importance of Colombia positioning itself to take advantage of nearshoring trends to become the regional leader in attracting investment. The President commended Summit leaders for forging ahead with the pro-growth policy agenda to deepen the economic collaboration between the nations.
During the dialogue, it was clear that the two governments and the private sector in both countries are committed to working together to overcome challenges presented by the global pandemic.
“Our countries enjoy an indispensable relationship but each side acknowledged all that remains to be done to strengthen the bilateral trade and investment partnership, which is critical to our shared post-pandemic economic recovery,” said Myron Brilliant, Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Our two private sectors are committed to meeting this challenge through continued collaboration to advance pro-growth policies such as enhanced regulatory cooperation, value chain integration, and innovation.”
In his remarks, Bruce Mac Master, President of the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI), shared that he sees “with great enthusiasm the presence of American companies in our country. As representatives of the business community, we will continue working to support legal certainty and clarity in the rules to jointly promote investments.”
During her address, Kimberly A. Reed, President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), used the occasion to reiterate EXIM Bank’s support for fostering greater trade and investment between Colombia and the United States.
Cesar Caicedo, President of Colombina and Co-Chair of the U.S.-Colombia Business Summit, expressed confidence that a platform like the Summit would help enhance economic recovery. “We believe in our resilience as a country, and we are sure that we will succeed,” noted Caicedo. “As entrepreneurs, we must take advantage of the historical relationship between Colombia and the United States to take actions that unleash regional investment,” Caicedo concluded.
The Summit included a number of leaders dedicated to promoting a strong commercial dialogue, including President Iván Duque, José Manuel Restrepo, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism; Flavia Santoro, President of ProColombia, and Francisco Santos, Ambassador of Colombia to the United States. The U.S. government participants included Wilbur Ross, U.S. Secretary of Commerce; Kimberly A. Reed, President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of America; and Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Colombia.
