Foreign direct investment in Colombia reached $6.4 billion in the first eight months of 2010, a 19.7% rise compared to the same period last year.
According to financial newspaper Portafolio, the rise is mostly due to companies involved in mining, legal advise, construction, communication infrastructure, fishing and the health industry.
In 2009, Colombia saw a capital inflow of $5.4 billion in the first eight months.
Camilo Villaveces of UK investment manager Ashmore Group told portfolio that Colombia has come form being the continent’s ugly duckling to an investment destination which is attractive to a large number of foreign companies.
The size of the Colombia’s market, the third largest in Latin America, improved security and economic growth is fueling the foreign interest in the country, Villaveces said. “We have several orders of foreign investors to look for companies.”