The Mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López and the Deputy Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Colombia, Tim Hemmings held a virtual meeting with businessmen and representatives of British companies.
At the meeting several points were raised regarding the main infrastructure, mobility, sanitation, technology and security projects that will soon be open for bidding processes in Bogotá. The point of which is to achieve broader participation among its constituents, and guarantee that interview/hiring processes are based on fairness, transparency and the applicant’s proficiency.
“In Bogotá, 55% of the foreign income that enters the country for investment remains -- as it is a niche of human capital -- education, creativity, inclusion and social mobility,” stated the mayor during the meeting. “We know that to continue growing in this direction we need financial muscle and that is why we invite you to bring your capital and keep the course."
Mayor López also opened up on the nature of the bidding processes that -- in the medium and long-term -- could be of interest to British companies looking to invest in the areas of infrastructure, transport, health and waste and water treatment.
“The great challenge that Bogotá faces is to overcome the infrastructure deficit. This is done through agreement processes and political vision, for which we have taken steps to make a first agreement with the citizens, to build upon what has already been built, thus adding value to projects that are already underway.”
Regarding mobility and transportation, Mayor López outlined the plans that she oversaw alongside an institution for sustainable urban-planning. “One of the great achievements has been to generate a CONPES document which holds the main infrastructure and mobility projects. for the next 20 years. These are in turn collected in the POT that is currently being discussed in the City Council; so we have legal security, a joint vision, and a social and political agreement set in place on what we want to do and what Bogotá needs.”
Bogotá will invest nearly $12,000 million dollars between now and 2024 that will finance the construction of 418 projects. The most prominent of which are related to the multi-modal transport network; those of water and sanitation; and those of infrastructure, health, and education.
Over the course of 2021 and 2023, the city of Bogotá has fast-tracked 185 construction assignment with a further 101 projects in the initial study and design stage. This means that as of today, 94 projects are already under construction and 72 projects are being drawn up.
Deputy Ambassador Hemmings was full of praise for the day’s work. “Thanks to Mayor Claudia López, for her commitment to the United Kingdom for opening this venue for free-exchange of ideas between British companies and Bogotá. We want to do further business with you, and what better way to preamble her visit to COP26 in 2021, the year of Colombian-British co-operation.”
The United Kingdom stands out for being the third most important foreign investor in Colombia, with 94 projects in the last 10 years, and an overall investment of $2,154 million dollars and the generation of 7,050 direct jobs.
