President Ivan Duke highlighted this Thursday from London the benefits of implementing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Colombia and the UKafter Brexit, meaning Britain’s exit from the European Union.

“We are one of the few countries in Latin America that have advanced in these steps and I firmly believe that this will be an accelerator for trade and investment,” Duque said.

As indicated, the country completed all its internal constitutional and legal procedures for the entry into force of this FTA, a mechanism that was reached after both countries decided to maintain tariff preferences, since when did the so-called brexit happen, through a diplomatic note for a period of every 6 months.

Bilateral dialogue for the enforcement of trade agreements focused on chapters such as data protection, infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, life sciences, financial services and creative industries.

“Implementing this Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is a sign that we have brought this bilateral relationship to the highest point in their history,” stressed Duque, adding that implementing such an important agreement “is a sign that we have taken our bilateral relationship to the top. highest in history.

From London, a stopover on his tour of Europe, Duque noted that Colombia and Britain had reached “record levels on the trade front” and investment”. “This year alone we hope that there will be new investment projects, in sectors not related to oil and gas, which could represent more than 500 million pounds sterling,” said the president.

The figures were disclosed by Duque at the Foreign Secretary’s Residence in London, where he held a meeting with Britain’s Minister of International Trade, Ranil Jayawardena.

Regarding expectations from the trade and investment perspective, Colombia sees the UK as a very important investorbecause it is number one in Europe in our country.

In this regard, President Duque pointed out that between the two there are several areas of strategic interest, among them, “unconventional renewable energy, solar, wind and now pathways to produce green hydrogen in Colombia and that the country is the first exporter from Latin America.” to Europe in the following years”.

The same applies to projects related to climate change adaptation such as the Canal del Dique. Just like “in technological opportunities, where Colombia became the Silicon Valley of Latin America” ​​and where he added that “Great Britain has companies that have expressed their willingness to operate in Latin America in our countryYes”.

Likewise, he anticipates that “we see UK investor interest in fourth- and fifth-generation concessions and highways,” in which he announced that “we will invite UK companies to participate in this tender as important”.