General News

Medellin’s Top Business-Development Leaders Reveal Big Investments, Expansions Coming

Medellin Herald December 21, 2017

In a December 21 press conference at Mayor Federico Gutierrez’s office, Medellin’s top business-development agency leaders revealed a host of initiatives that promise to bring millions of dollars in new investments and re-investments starting in 2018 and subsequent years. One example: At

General News

‘Ruta al Mar’ Highway Project Wins Big Financing Package

Medellin Herald December 15, 2017

Colombia’s national infrastructure agency (Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura, ANI) and the Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional (FDN) national financing organization jointly announced December 14 that a new deal ensures COP$1.47 trillion (US$490 million) financing for the “Ruta al Mar” highway project linking northern Antioquia to Atlantic coastal ports. The new financing

General News

Antioquia’s ‘Vias del Nus’ Highway Project Gets Financing Boost

Medellin Herald December 13, 2017

Antioquia’s development agency (Instituto para el Desarrollo de Antioquia, IDEA) announced December 13 that it’s extending a COP$132.5 billion (US$44 million) credit for the 157-kilometers-long “Vias del Nus” fourth-generation (4G) highway project in northern Antioquia. The credit will help support financing, design, environmental studies, purchase of adjacent properties,

General News

Colombia National Agency Ranks Medellin #1 in Government Planning, Execution

Medellin Herald December 6, 2017

Colombia’s national planning agency — Departamento Nacional de Planeacion (DNP) — on December 5 announced that the city of Medellin ranks best among Colombia’s 13 biggest cities for government planning and execution. While Medellín took the top spot in the ranking of Colombia’s biggest cities, Bogotá came in second, followed by Barranquilla, Cali, Pereira,

General News

Medellin’s ‘Ruta N’ Inks Robotics, Artificial-Intelligence Development Deal

Medellin Herald December 3, 2017

New York-based Institute for Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence (IRPA-AI) announced November 29 that Medellin’s “Ruta N” information-technology development center inked a deal whereby IRPA-AI will help launch a “Digital Americas Pipeline Initiative” (DAPI). “The initiative will provide companies with direct access to trained, experienced, and certified

General News

Antioquia Continues to Rank High in Competitiveness: CPC Annual Study

Medellin Herald November 24, 2017

A new study (see: https://idc.compite.com.co/) by the national private-sector competitiveness council (Consejo Privado de Competitividad, CPC) and Universidad del Rosario shows that Antioquia continues to rank near the top in competitiveness among all of Colombia’s 32 departments (states). The departmental competitiveness index (Indice Departamental de

General News

Zero-Emissions ‘Metrocable,’ Electric-Car Recharging Gain More Ground in Medellin

Medellin Herald November 21, 2017

Medellin Mayor Federico Gutiérrez announced November 20 that the city’s enormously popular “Metro” public-transport network will add yet another zero-emissions aerial-tram “Metrocable” system — helping to stem air pollution mainly caused by obsolete diesel and gasoline vehicles. The 2.8-kilometers-long, COP$298 billion (US$99 million) “El Picacho” aerial tram is due

General News

‘Puerto Antioquia’ Construction Would Start in 2018; Open in 2020

Medellin Herald November 17, 2017

Antioquia Governor Luis Perez announced November 15 the signing of a memo of understanding that would clear the way for starting construction in March 2018 of the US$600 million “Puerto Antioquia” ocean-freight port near Turbo. Signing the memo were the Antioquia departmental government and its Instituto de Desarollo de Antioquia (IDEA) investment agency, France-based CMA

General News

EPM Buys Rionegro’s ‘E.P. Rio’ Public Utility; Plans Big Water, Sewage-Treatment Investments

Medellin Herald November 9, 2017

Medellin-based multinational utilities giant EPM announced November 9 that it has completed the buyout of 100% of the stock-and-assets of neighboring Rionegro’s “E.P. Rio” public utility, following which EPM aims to invest COP$550 billion (US$183 million) in water-and-sewage infrastructure in coming years. Under the deal – finally approved by Rionegro’s municipal

General News

USAID Helping Antioquia’s Poor to Recover Lands Wrecked by Irresponsible Miners

Medellin Herald November 1, 2017

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced October 31 that it is helping Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities in El Bagre, Antioquia, to restore lands to safe and productive use following environmental destruction left by irresponsible miners. In the COP$1.4 billion (US$470,000) USAID-sponsored project, 90 economically disadvantaged families – all