Ally to continue to grow

The governments of Colombia and the United Kingdom recently launched the Ukcol2021 platform, an initiative to celebrate trade relations, promote the exchange of knowledge, experiences, business and ideas between the two countries, and strengthen ties in investment and trade.

Through the detailed work between the UK embassies in Bogota and the Colombian embassy in London, and with the support of ProColombia, the Department for International Trade and the British Council, it seeks to open up opportunities and give greater importance to bilateral relations. The relationship to bring British businessmen closer to Colombia and vice versa.

With 196 years of diplomatic relations, the United Kingdom is a historical ally of Colombia. Its notorious presence has been in collaboration through initiatives such as Innovate UK, a British agency for innovation, along with the British Columbia Prosperity Fund programme, entities that have supported innovation and social development projects, with millionaire investments in our regions.

It is also the world’s third largest investor in Colombia, and in sectors such as infrastructure, software, finance, technology, renewable energy, telecommunications, and food, among others.

Examples of the foregoing include companies such as Diageo, a company recognized for its leadership in the production and distribution of spirits in the world and which strengthened its work in Colombia, through its Shared Services Center in Bogotá, where it has been providing specialized services support to more than 45 countries, with more Of the 220 job positions, 54% are women.

Another case is the technology case of Endava, which, with eight years of operations in the country and headquarters in Bogota and Medellin, provides solutions in digital architecture, software engineering and application management, covering the entire software development and delivery cycle. For customers present in the markets of Latin America, Europe and the United States. It is a clear example that responds to our strategy to import exporters, where large international companies from our lands generate employment and transfer and develop local technology to provide solutions to customers in other regions of the world.

The Colombian presence in the UK is also growing and becoming increasingly important. Companies like Daabon Group, one of Colombia’s major agricultural exporters, have a processing plant in Glasgow, where soaps and essential oils are made with Colombian palm oil that is exported to Europe and the United States.

Another agro-industrial company is Ozindas Ltda, which produces 100% Colombian chocolate under the Hasslacher brand that is marketed in the UK. Behind this national cocoa are stories of life, fair trade, and support for farmers and farmers.

We work with well-established investors for their growth and consolidation, as well as attracting mega projects and well-established companies that can interest other investors along the value chain and contribute to the improvement of the country’s position as an investment and investment destination. Entrepreneurship, opportunities and contributions to building stocks and the future of Colombia.

The celebration of Ukcol 2021 is strategic and of great importance in this purpose as it represents an initial milestone for a more robust, strategic and fruitful relationship that is rethought to continue to grow in bilateral opportunities.