Colombian exports to the United Kingdom grew by 111% between January and September 2011, said Colombia’ trade minister, economic publication Portafolio reported Thursday.
Colombia’s Minister for Trade, Industry and Tourism, Sergio Granados-Diaz, said that national statistics agency figures show Colombian imports to the UK increased in value from $443 million to $937 million in nine months.
Colombian exports to the European Union also increased in the same period, from $3.6 billion to $6.3 billion – a 76% rise.
It is a priority for the Colombian government that Congress approves the Reciprocal Trade Protection and Promotion Agreement signed by both countries in March 2010.
“We trust that this can happen in the short term, taking into account that there is ever more diversification of flows of investment from Britain, and we need to guarantee the arrival of more foreign capital in order to improve the competitiveness of our productive apparatus,” said the minister.
Granados-Diaz accompanied Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on his state visit to the London.