The United States is sending a trade mission to Bogota and Medellin to promote future investment’s in Colombia’s different sectors, including infrastructure and healthcare.
In a press conference on Thursday, the Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce for the Americas, Jodi Bond, and David Thorne, Advisor to Secretary of State John Kerry announced that they will be part of the business delegation that is due be in Colombia between the 15-18 September.
The delegation will be made up of more than 20 United States companies, from sectors including technology, communication, health, and finances.
They will seek to build relationships with Colombian government representatives in order to identify business and investment opportunities in Colombia, which should have a positive impact on Colombian employment, according to La Vanguardia newspaper.
“It is good timing, in a period of international economic deceleration, working with the United States to create job and business opportunities in Colombia. And this mission is proof that countries come to Colombia as one of the best countries to do business with,” explained Colombia’s ambassador to Washington DC, Juan Carlos Pinzon, who was also took part in the press conference.
“In current circumstances, it’s important to highlight that one of the most senior officials of the Department of State is leading a mission to Colombia to further strengthen economic ties between the two countries.”
Thorne assured that the United States is trying to support “a peaceful solution to the problem”, but refused to comment when asked if the visit was intended to show support for Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos.
“We are going to Colombia because we believe in Colombia,” said Thorne, who considers the country to have a “great economic future”.
“In a time of economic downturn, it seems very good to me that Colombia is currently able to be a country of interest and that American companies from large parts of the country and the world can see the business opportunities,” said Pinzon.
On his Twitter, the ambassador said that Colombia “is ripe for investment, there are huge opportunities for US companies to do business and invest across the country.”
The companies will first visit Bogota from Wednesday to Thursday, and will arrive in Medellin, Colombia’s second city, on Friday.