Traslated by Andrés Martínez Forero
Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán’s administration has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tent Partnership for Refugees (Tent), a global network of more than 500 companies committed to helping refugees and migrants access employment and integrate into local economies.
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Signed by Mayor Galán and Brandon Yoder, Tent’s Vice President for the Americas, the agreement establishes a strategic partnership to speed up labor market inclusion for migrants and refugees in Bogotá.
As part of the partnership, Tent will further activate its network of member companies — including the 20 major employers, it already works with in Colombia — to expand job opportunities for refugees and migrants looking for work in the capital.
The agreement represents a key step in Bogotá’s broader strategy for economic inclusion, framing migration not as an added burden, but as an opportunity to drive development, productivity, and social cohesion.
In practical terms, the partnership will expand access to jobs, connect migrants and refugees more directly with companies in key sectors, and promote more inclusive hiring practices.
It will also work alongside the Bogotá Employment Agency to improve job matching and expand access to formal, stable, and decent work.
Bogotá already has a strong foundation to build on. The city has made progress in helping migrants enter the formal labor market, and the next goal is to expand that reach through closer coordination with the private sector, stronger institutions, and the creation of new opportunities.
That is where Tent brings a clear strategic advantage: its ability to mobilize employers and connect talent with real job opportunities. In Colombia, the organization works with companies in sectors such as services, agribusiness, hospitality, and food, promoting labor inclusion through training, job placement, and recruitment support.
Beyond its impact on employment, the agreement also strengthens Bogotá’s position as a city leading innovative and collaborative migration policies, bringing together public and private efforts to deliver tangible results in people’s lives.
With this partnership, Bogotá is reinforcing its commitment to sustainable economic inclusion that benefits both migrants and the wider city, while promoting formal employment as a key tool to reduce inequality, improve well-being, and strengthen the social fabric.
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About Tent Partnership for Refugees
As displacement continues to rise around the world, businesses have a critical role to play in helping refugees and migrants build economic stability in their new communities.
Tent launched in 2016, when Hamdi Ulukaya — CEO and founder of Chobani, a multibillion-dollar food company in the United States — set out to mobilize the world’s largest employers to help close that gap.
Today, Tent is a network of more than 500 major companies committed to helping refugees in Colombia and ten other countries across the Americas and Europe enter local labor markets by preparing them for work and connecting them with job opportunities. Learn more about the network at www.tent.org.
*This article was created using information provided by the Bogotá’s International Relations Office and curated by a journalist from Portal Bogotá. For suggestions, questions, or more information, visit Bogotá Te Escucha: https://bogota.gov.co/sdqs/
