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

Congresses & Conferences

‘FISE’ Electricity Congress Generates US$230 Million; EV’s, Solar Power Grab Center Stage

Medellin Herald December 1, 2017

Organizers of the biannual Feria Internacional del Sector Electrico (FISE) electric-power industry conference in Medellin announced December 1 that this year’s edition generated US$230 million in new business deals, of which US$214 million involved 50 international buyers and US$10.9 million from 80 national buyers. FISE’s organizers include the Chamber of Commerce of

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

General News

Medellin’s International Airport Expansions to Debut in December

Medellin Herald October 27, 2017

Colombia’s national infrastructure agency (Agency Nacional de Infraestructura, ANI) announced October 26 that expansions and upgrades to Medellin’s Jose Maria Cordova (JMC) international airport will debut in December 2017. The US$116 million project adds five more aircraft boarding tunnels, another 9,000 square meters of terminal space and additional independent power

Culture

Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald: Claudia Gomez’s Lullaby in Birdland Arrives October 21

Medellin Herald October 12, 2017

American jazz aficionados instinctively know that a satisfying performance of a signature classic – as (for example) by the ever-elegant Ella Fitzgerald – must combine clarity, pitch, purity, control, range, richness, understatement and sincerity. However: Nobody will ever sing like Ella again (she died in 1996 at age 79). Even some contemporaries — such as […]

General News

Medellin Fourth-Best among Colombian Cities for Doing Business: World Bank

Medellin Herald October 9, 2017

A new report from the World Bank finds that Medellin is fourth-best among Colombia’s 32 departmental-capital cities in four key business categories: relative ease in starting a business, getting construction permits, registering properties and ease of paying taxes. According to the Doing Business in Colombia report (see: