Country Profile
From The Report: Colombia 2016
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As peace talks between the government of Juan Manuel Santos Calderón and the leaders of the FARC continue in an effort to end 51 years of armed conflict, Colombia’s political climate could now be on the verge of significant change. Both sides agreed in September 2015 to set a deadline by which a final peace accord must be signed – March 23, 2016. If achieved, a peace accord could bolster economic growth by up to 1.9 percentage points, according to the National Planning Department. As the government edges ever closer to signing a peace deal, it is becoming clear that a post-conflict Colombia will include both challenges and opportunities. Job creation and the establishment of infrastructure and state services, such as schools and hospitals, in former guerrilla strongholds will be key to reducing the wide gap between rural and urban areas.

This chapter includes interviews with President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón; María Ángela Holguín, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and José Ángel Gurría, Secretary-General, OECD.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Into a new era: The promise of peace brings both benefits and challenges
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As three-year old peace talks between the government of Juan Manuel Santos Calderón and the leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionaries de Colombia, FARC) continue in an effort to end 51 years of armed conflict, Colombia’s political climate could now be on the verge of significant change. Both sides agreed in September 2015 to set a deadline by which a final peace accord must be signed – March 23, 2016 – and both sides agreed that rebels would lay…

Interview

Leading by example: OBG talks to President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón
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Interview:President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón To what extent have socioeconomic and structural reforms raised living standards? JUAN MANUEL SANTOS CALDERÓN: We are starting to see significant results on many fronts. For instance, we are leaders in Latin America in reducing poverty. In the past five years, poverty has decreased by 12%, which equates to about 4.5m Colombians. We have taken another 2.5m out of extreme poverty, with the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2025. This also means…

Interview

Connections abroad: OBG talks to María Ángela Holguín, Minister of Foreign Affairs
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Interview:María Ángela Holguín To what extent is Colombia benefiting from its membership in the Pacific Alliance? MARÍA ÁNGELAHOLGUÍN: Colombia, together with the other members of the Pacific Alliance (Mexico, Peru and Chile), works with conviction and commitment to strengthen this pragmatic economic and trade integration mechanism. In recent years, the Pacific Alliance has been able to contribute to the socioeconomic transformation of its member states and achieve tangible…

Overview

A regional leader: The nation’s many natural advantages have led to a rapid revival of its fortunes
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Colombia’s economy grows above those of its neighbours despite the ongoing crisis of commodity prices. Meanwhile, peace talks with guerrillas face the final stretch and major cities such as Bogotá, Medellín and Barranquilla consolidate as regional capitals of finance, culture and fashion. Geography & Climate Located on the northwest corner of South America, Colombia is the only nation in the region with coasts on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is divided into five regions:…

Interview

Setting the bar high: OBG talks to José Ángel Gurría, Secretary-General, OECD
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Interview:José Ángel Gurría Can Colombia maintain growth at its current rate? JOSÉ ÁNGELGURRÍA: Colombia’s economy has done remarkably well over the past decade. Strong growth was driven by an oil and mining boom, foreign direct investment in the commodities sector and broad-based investment. This has allowed GDP per capita growth to catch up quickly with other OECD economies. However, income inequality and labour informality are still very high. Monetary policy normalisation…