Linkages to Colombia

August 9-14   Americas Linkage Mission to Colombia As mission leader for the Linkages Mission to Colombia August 9-14, I. Calderon led a successful mission to three cities in Colombia under the auspices of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. The trip consisted of a two-day stop in Bogotá with the Enterprise Florida and then the Linkages group continued to Pereira and Manizales (Eje Cafetero) where they met with the two Governors and other officials.  Following the goals of the Linkages Committee, the mission served to create synergies within the Chamber members who went as delegates and to develop goodwill with the host country through a true interchange of ideas and possible trade connections. Once again it proved that the Pathways initiative has strong support. Below, a brief outline of the trip: BOGOTA Tuesday, August. 10 --Country Briefing and Doing Business in Colombia Margaret Hanson-Muse, Sr. Commercial Officer, US Embassy in Colombia   Sylvia Rueda, Baker McKenzie Gave a brief description of new initiatives under President-elect Juan M. Santos who won with 70% of the vote and controls 80% of the Congress. Among the points they made were the following: --There will be job creation, social inclusion and human rights.   --There is the possibility of the FTA being passed next year: Clintons have visited and Colombia received 2 million in investment from the US --Colombia will do well with the NEI --Tourism has increased—including medical and eco tourism --Cartagena will be hosting the Summit of the Americas in 2012 --Colombia has received loans from Exim Bank Major prospects are in infrastructure such as transmilenio (bus service); refineries and ports (Cartagena, Salgar and Buenaventura) Luncheon with Vice Minister of Trade Gabriel Duque --FTAs are the “pavement for trade” --Product diversification is important (commodities) --Although there was $40 billion done in trade with the US this year, the US has lost its importance in terms being a key trade partner as Colombia has signed bilateral treaties with various other countries: Canada, EU, Korea, Russia, China and India Meeting with Council of American Enterprise (CEA) Janet van Deren and Ricardo Triana --This organization caters to companies that are at least 51% USA owned. --It has committees on legal, environmental, FTA and visa facilitation. --It is willing to receive missions from the US and set up one-to-one appointments. Meeting at the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce Monica Conde, VP, Economic Development --The presentation of the “Invest in Bogota” program, which seeks to have foreign companies invest in projects through foreign direct investment, also included facts on new job opportunities, technology transfer and promotion of investment through the Consejo Regional de Competitividad.  The group also visited the Center for International Arbitration and Mediation which is one of the state-of-the-art centers in Latin America.   Wednesday, August 11 The delegates had this day to make their own one-to-one appointments.  Several delegates had very positive meetings including the following: --Ana Guevara, President, Aventi, meetings with AVIANCA and with cosmetics firm --Luis Castillo, President, Global Trade Financing, meetings with several infrastructure projects firms --Gina Polo, Partner, Weiss, Alden and Polo, meetings with several law firms --Mark Srour, Development Director, Performance Food Service, meeting with logistics companies. --Adriana Vega, VP, Ideas, LLC, visited several toy factories. Those delegates that did not have appointments were able to attend a seminar organized by Deloitte of Colombia on “Business Opportunities in the US” which featured welcome remarks by John Adams, president of EFI, and Pedro Sarmiento, Partner, Deloitte Colombia.  Among the topics were Status of the Free Trade Agreements, Economic Overview of the State of Florida; Fiscal and Legal Updates for Doing Business in the US and How to do Business from Colombia (to the US) Thursday, August 12 Ingenio Risaralda At this sugar plantation and refinery, the aim is to use all parts of the breakdown of sugar including the production of ethanol for renewable energy. Their mission is both social (they provide jobs for approx 2,500 people) as well as environmental (they have the latest technology to produce the sugar and extract all the derivatives without harming the environment).  60% of the ethanol produced is for national use and the rest is exported. Tour of Megacentro Pinares This is a Health Free Trade Zone which is being developed in the Eje Cafetero and is in center of the important Bogota-Medellin and Cali triangle.  The opportunities for growth are both in the medical as well as the infrastructure areas as two medical towers are in construction with the latest state of the art medical equipment.  Alongside the towers, there will be a future hotel (s) to accommodate patients and their families. Roundtable with the Governor of Risaralda, the Hon. Victor Manuel Tamayo After a very warm welcome, saying that indeed ties between Florida and Risaralda should be strengthened for future trade opportunities, the Gov. asked members of his staff to give brief presentations on the ongoing efforts to develop international ties; the large investments in free trade zones and in the “artesanias” of the region. The Linkages group concurred that this was a very worthwhile opportunity and that the Chamber would invite them to the November in-bound mission to Miami. Friday, August 13 Carmenza Jaramillo, former consul general for Colombia in Miami, organized a visit to the “Recinto del Pensamiento” a conference center near the city of Manizales developed by the Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros, where the delegation was met by the Governor of Caldas, the Hon. Mario Ariztizabal and several members of his staff including Angelo Quintero, Director of Development. the Mayor of Manizales, the Hon, Juan M. Llano, gave the Key of the City to Liane Ventura, Senior VP, International Affairs, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.  Discussion centered around the various business possibilities that can be developed between this region and Florida (infrastructure, IT and medical services). August 28 Tour for Central America and Caribbean Energy Ministers The OAS and the US Dept. of State hosted the tour for the energy ministers from the Caribbean and Central America.  As an activity of the US-Brazil Bilateral Memorandum of Understanding Advance Cooperation on Biofuels, the group visited the FPL’s Solar Power facility; the USDA Sugarcane Field Station and the Florida Crystals facility.  Gateway Florida was invited to participate in the Saturday morning session which dealt with policy reform activities; information on several alternative energy solutions; clean energy alternatives, and opportunities for the development and local use of biofuels. GWF President Brian Dean also indicated the imperative to advocate for trade and tariff policies that increase the viability of bio-mass derived energy products.

 

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