In office for just over a month, Minister Araujo outlines Colombia’s foreign policy goals both in the Andean Region and globally. Held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) until December 2006, Minister Araujo provides an inside look at prospects for peace.
To explore energy policy in the Andean Region, with a specific focus on Colombia, the Americas Society and Council of the Americas convened media and public sector experts to look at energy reform, energy integration, and oil production and exploration. This summary provides an overview of the main points from the discussion.
Topics in this issue: U.S. Free-Trade Agreements with Colombia, Peru and Panama
• Market access
• Services and investment
• Labor
• Export growth
In testimony to U.S. Congress, COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth offered support for the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.
On August 4, 2005 Colombian President Alvaro Uribe visited President Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Hernando José Gómez highlighted the benefits of increased market access and explained the domestic and international reaction to the agreement. He pointed out that opening an economy to international markets brings greater growth and a reduction in the income gap with richer countries.
Speaking at the 33rd Washington Conference of the Council of the Americas, Horst Kohler, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, discussed how to maintain economic stability in Latin America. Kohler stated the importance of increased trade and introduced an agenda to encourage economic growth.
