General News

Antioquia’s ‘Autopista 4G Conexion Norte’ Highway Project Reaches Financial Close

Medellin Herald January 27, 2016

Colombia’s national infrastructure agency (ANI in Spanish initials) announced January 26 that financial close has now been achieved for the COP$1.1 trillion (US$324.8 million) “Autopista 4G Conexion Norte” highway project linking Medellin north-eastward to Atlantic coast highways. The “Conexion

General News

Medellin Cost-of-Living a Relative Bargain; Health Care Outstanding: Global Survey

Medellin Herald January 22, 2016

The latest consumer-generated survey results compiled by global database analyst Numbeo find that Medellin is a relative bargain compared to other major cities in South America, while Medellin’s health-care system quality is ranked best in all of the Americas. Besides beating-out the U.S. and all its neighbors on relative health-care quality, the consumer survey also […]

General News

Antioquia Highway Projects Get Financial Boost from Medellin-Based Isagen Sale

Medellin Herald January 13, 2016

Medellin-based electric power producer Isagen announced January 13 that a consortium led by a subsidiary of Toronto, Canada-based Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) paid COP$6.49 trillion (US$2.2 billion) for the Colombian government’s remaining 57% stake in Isagen. The other 43% of Isagen shares are held partly by private investors and partly by Medellin-based electric

General News

Wall Street Bond Rater Affirms ‘Stable’ Outlook for Medellin Public Debt

Medellin Herald December 22, 2015

U.S.-based bond rater Fitch announced December 21 that it has affirmed a “stable” outlook for Medellin’s public debt. “The rating action reflects Medellin’s financial strength, its importance in [Colombia’s] national context as well as its manageable debt metrics,” according to Fitch. The city benefits from a “high and dynamic collection of municipal taxes and

General News

Conconcreto Nabs French Investor Vinci; Unveils Antioquia Port Project

Medellin Herald December 21, 2015

Medellin-based construction giant Conconcreto announced December 17 that it finalized a COP$289 billion (US$86 million) “strategic” investment deal whereby France-based global infrastructure project-development giant Vinci will take a 20% equity stake in Conconcreto. The new alliance not only combines the engineering and construction experience of both companies but also

General News

Foreign Direct Investment in Medellin tops US$821 Million; USA Biggest Source: ACI

Medellin Herald December 21, 2015

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellin and the Metropolitan Area (ACI) announced December 16 that Medellin nabbed US$821.6 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from 2012 to 2015 — with FDI investments in 2015 alone breaking all previous records. In 2015 alone, Medellin attracted US$248.9 million in FDI, while the city also separately […]

General News

Zero-Emissions Medellin Metro, ‘EnCicla’ Public-Bike Combo Nabs Global Award

Medellin Herald December 11, 2015

The Agency for Cooperation and Investment of Medellin and the Metropolitan Area (ACI) and the Medellin Metro public transit agency announced December 10 that Medellin just won the global “Mobiprize Award” for a novel combination of zero-emissions metro-rail public transport with the growing “EnCicla” public bicycle system. “This is a recognition that confirms the efforts

General News

Medellin Mayor, Antioquia Governor ‘Best in Colombia’

Medellin Herald December 2, 2015

Medellin Mayor Anibal Gaviria (photo, above) and Antioquia Governor Sergio Fajardo took the top prizes for “Best Mayor” and “Best Governor” in all of Colombia for the period 2012-2015 in a competition organized by the non-profit organization, Colombia Lider. Colombia Lider’s core leadership includes Findeter (the Colombian government’s development funding agency);

General News

National Government: Medellin Best-Managed City in Colombia

Medellin Herald November 24, 2015

The latest annual study by the National Planning Department (DNP in Spanish initials) finds that Medellin is the best-managed city among Colombia’s 1,102 municipalities. Behind Medellin’s 93.8 top score for over-all management – best in Colombia – was the 91.9 score for the Medellin suburb of Itagui, second-place in the DNP study. Other cities in […]

General News

Antioquia Competitiveness Index Continues to Improve: CPC 2015 Study

Medellin Herald November 20, 2015

The just-released 2015 edition of Colombia’s national private-sector competitiveness council (Consejo Privado de Competitividad, CPC) “competitiveness index” (CI) study shows that Antioquia’s CI continues to improve. While the over-all national index shows that Bogota still occupies the number-one spot among Colombia’s various departments (states), Bogota has been