Evolution of Foreign Trade

2. Good News about Colombia

Good news about Colombia

• According to the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), the Colombian economy grew by 10.6% in 2021 compared to 2020, and, when compared to 2019, growth amounted to 2.8%, which shows an economic recovery above pre-pandemic levels. For more information, see the following link.

• Colombian President´s, H.E. Iván Duque Márquez, visit to different European countries leaves important achievements, among which stand out double taxation agreements with Luxembourg and the Netherlands investment commitments from the Netherlands close to USD$400 million, among others. For more information, see the following link.

• Last February 17th marked the first anniversary of Colombia´s National Vaccination Plan against COVID-19. To date, this robust and ambitious plan has left more than 75 million doses applied in the country and more than 80% of the population with at least one dose of the vaccine, decisively contributing to the economic recovery of

Colombia. For more information, see the following link.

• Last January, Spain donated more than 6.5 million vaccines against COVID-19 to Colombia, thus becoming the first donor of biologicals to our country. For more information, consult the following link.

• KPMG Colombia, in alliance with the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, published the Colombia Tech Report 2021, the first significant mapping of entrepreneurship and innovation in our country. This report highlights 1,110 startups that make up the ecosystem, of which more than 63% are concentrated in Bogotá and Cundinamarca, and that investment in science, technology, and innovation in the country grew 111.9% between 2010 and 2019, among other aspects. For more information, consult the following link.

• After 20 years, Colombia took the initial step to recover its sovereignty in the production of vaccines. In Ríonegro, Antioquia, work began on the VaxThera plant on February 2 to produce these biologicals. The plant, which will start operating in 2023, will mean an investment of US$54 million. For more information, see the following link.

• The OECD estimates that the Colombian economy will grow by 5.5% in 2022, mainly due to the rebound in private consumption and exports. This projection is even higher than that of the National Government (5%). For more information, see the following link.

• On January 21, the country took a big step in its energy transformation process with the inauguration of the Guajira I wind farm, the first of its kind in 17 years in Colombia. This will be the first of 16 parks in the Department