2014 Medellin Blog: Keynote - Vice Minister of Trade, Industry, and Tourism Claudia Candela
The vice minister highlighted Colombia's strides when it comes to expanding the economy.
Vice Minister of Trade, Industry, and Tourism Claudia Candela spoke about the country's economic growth. In Colombia, income per capita has nearly doubled since 2000, she said, while unemployment now runs in the single digits. Trade increased by five times in the last decade, while the economy was diversified with value-added exports. The country has become an important player in Latin America: it has the third-largest economy and is a member of the Pacific Alliance, which represents 50 percent of trade in the region.
The country is increasingly competitive: it's now ranked among the top 50 countries to do business, according to the World Bank.
En el Ranking del Doing Business del Banco Mundial Colombia ha escalado posiciones, y hoy está en la posición 43. #TechMedellin
— AS/COA Online (@ASCOA) June 12, 2014
The vice minister also touched on small- and medium-sized businesses, noting they create 80 percent of jobs in Colombia, but less than 17 percent of exports.
Las pymes generan 80% del empleo y un porcentaje pequeño (menos 17%) exporta. foro @ASCOA #TechMedellin
— estefaniabotero (@estefaniabotero) June 12, 2014
Watch a video of the minister's remarks (en español):