NewsWhore
08-15-2011, 03:00 PM
Colombian Foreign Affairs Minister Maria Angela Holguin was in the Dominican Republic last week to push for the start of talks aimed at reaching a fully-fledged free trade agreement with the DR. In the short term, Colombia aspires to a partial scope trade agreement with the DR. The DR maintains a similar agreement with Panama.
Meeting with the press, Holguin said that while Colombian exports and investments in the DR were up, Colombian companies are at a disadvantage compared to companies from countries with which the Dominican Republic has a free trade agreement n namely the Central American and Caribbean nations, the European Union and the United States.
As reported in Listin Diario, she says the trade market currently moves around US$3 billion a year.
"We Colombians believe in this country, we want to be here and improve, continue improving our trade relationship," she told the newspaper.
Holguin delivered an invitation from President Juan Manuel Santos for President Fernandez to visit before the end of the year. During her short visit, she was accompanied by her vice minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriel Duque, director of Colombia ProExport Carlos Gonzalez, and Colombian ambassador in the DR Mario Montoya Uribe. When she met with President Leonel Fernandez, she was accompanied by 15 Colombian businesspersons who have made major investments and are involved in trading relationships with the DR: Monica Velazquez (Avianca), Alejandro Upegui (Brinsa), Luis Fernando Enciso (Helados Bon), Frank Garcia (Forsa), Victor Hugo Sarmiento (Grupo Familia), Hernan Bueno de Tucuman (Leonisa), Octavio Ramirez (Kinnox), Oscar Restrepo (PQP, Julian Solarte (Quala), Hernando Rojas (Lafrancol), Andrea Gonzalez Cardenas (Asocoflores) and Henry Suarez (Suiphar).
In a meeting held at the Hotel V Centenario, the Colombian Minister called for increased integration between both countries. She said Colombia has invested around US$2 billion in the country, mainly in the areas of food and personal hygiene products, cement and paper.
Moreover, she said that the Dominican Republic could receive many more tourists from Colombia.
Holguin stressed the support of her country to fight drug trafficking and organized crime and that this is a priority of her government. She spoke after the decoration of outgoing Ambassador Montoya at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
Meeting with the press, Holguin said that while Colombian exports and investments in the DR were up, Colombian companies are at a disadvantage compared to companies from countries with which the Dominican Republic has a free trade agreement n namely the Central American and Caribbean nations, the European Union and the United States.
As reported in Listin Diario, she says the trade market currently moves around US$3 billion a year.
"We Colombians believe in this country, we want to be here and improve, continue improving our trade relationship," she told the newspaper.
Holguin delivered an invitation from President Juan Manuel Santos for President Fernandez to visit before the end of the year. During her short visit, she was accompanied by her vice minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriel Duque, director of Colombia ProExport Carlos Gonzalez, and Colombian ambassador in the DR Mario Montoya Uribe. When she met with President Leonel Fernandez, she was accompanied by 15 Colombian businesspersons who have made major investments and are involved in trading relationships with the DR: Monica Velazquez (Avianca), Alejandro Upegui (Brinsa), Luis Fernando Enciso (Helados Bon), Frank Garcia (Forsa), Victor Hugo Sarmiento (Grupo Familia), Hernan Bueno de Tucuman (Leonisa), Octavio Ramirez (Kinnox), Oscar Restrepo (PQP, Julian Solarte (Quala), Hernando Rojas (Lafrancol), Andrea Gonzalez Cardenas (Asocoflores) and Henry Suarez (Suiphar).
In a meeting held at the Hotel V Centenario, the Colombian Minister called for increased integration between both countries. She said Colombia has invested around US$2 billion in the country, mainly in the areas of food and personal hygiene products, cement and paper.
Moreover, she said that the Dominican Republic could receive many more tourists from Colombia.
Holguin stressed the support of her country to fight drug trafficking and organized crime and that this is a priority of her government. She spoke after the decoration of outgoing Ambassador Montoya at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)