Category: Noticias

Visitors at Expo 2020 Dubai are in for a special musical treat from Colombia Pavilion as one of the country’s famous singer-songwriter and producer, Elkin Robinson, is set to perform the best of Caribbean rhythms onstage this weekend. Robinson and his band will be holding two concerts, one on March 11 at 7pm within the Colombia Pavilion and another on March 12 at 6pm at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre.

This weekend’s event promises to showcase a musical ensemble which reflects Colombia’s title as ‘the country of a thousand rhythm’ with more than 1,025 folkloric music. The show will also serve as a fitting roundoff for Colombia Pavilion’s cultural offerings. Robinson, who hailed from Colombia’s Providencia Island, will be rendering a variety of musical styles that are both soothing and uplifting to the senses, including the mento, calypso, polka, and folk.

His unique blend of composition highlights the elements of his island life, the sea and nature, along with Creole influences. Furthermore, the musician’s inventiveness is reflected in a band which Robinson put together himself in 2012 where the group used instruments found in the island such as washtub bass, a horse jawbone, maracas, and nylon string guitar.

Robinson has played in various music festivals in over 20 countries such as the Lollapalooza in Chile) and the Wassermusik Festival in Berlin. His music has been featured along with world-class musicians including Carlos Vives, Ziggy Marley, Sidestepper, and Juan Pablo Vega.

In Colombia, he has featured in famous musical shows such as the Estereo Picnic, Rock al Parque, and the 2017 edition of WOMEX. His first album, Come Round was released in 2014, followed by Sunshine in 2017.

Quince exportadores de café colombiano en busca de nuevos negocios y clientes de talla internacional realizaron catas de café en Expo 2020 Dubái, para presentar sus productos a los visitantes mundiales del evento, durante la Semana del Café realizada en el Pabellón de Colombia.

Como parte de la semana del insigne producto nacional, Juan Valdez, el icono que representa a los productores de café de Colombia estuvo presente en las sesiones de degustación del grano y recorrió la exposición universal para entregar una bolsa del mejor café suave del mundo a representantes de Luxemburgo, China, Estados Unidos, Malasia, Corea, Suiza, Arabia Saudita y Egipto.

En la Semana del Café, empresarios del sector y compradores del producto en la región del Medio Oriente, participaron en espacios exclusivos para disfrutar del sabor único del café de Colombia y explorar oportunidades de asociación.

Los almacenes Juan Valdez, una cadena multinacional de cafeterías con sede en Colombia y especializada en la venta de café al por menor, y el Paisaje Cultural Cafetero (PCCC) también han causado una gran impresión en la Expo, ya que la exposición mundial en curso en Dubai espera atraer a más de 25 millones de personas a lo largo de sus 180 días de duración.

El Pabellón de Colombia, de 2.000 metros cuadrados, ubicado en una ciudadela de cuatro kilómetros cuadrados, muestra las distintas propiedades de cada región, como los Andes occidentales donde se destacan el Paisaje Cultural Cafetero y Antioquia, con sus montañas, su café y sus flores.

La Expo es una oportunidad ideal para que Colombia, conocida por su café, muestre las propiedades únicas de este producto del país y para que las empresas colombianas exploren nuevas asociaciones mundiales.

The Colombia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai hosted a delegation from the Colombia Association of Emerald Exporters (Acodes) on March 4 where they shed light on Colombia’s precious gem, the emeralds. Known for its distinctive bluish tone, Colombian emeralds make up more than half or 55 per cent of the world’s exports, making Colombia the world’s leading producer of emeralds.

The Acodes, which was established in 1969, discussed the flourishing export business of emeralds and the potential to expand the industry’s reach to the UAE and across the region. Visitors at the Colombia Pavilion also had a chance to take a closer look at the emeralds that was on display.

The country is the first global producer of emeralds where exports of the precious stone reached its value at USD 42 million in 2020, while normal export account for about 150million per year. Commercial grade emeralds are abundant; however, fine and extra fine quality emeralds are extremely rare. This makes Colombian emeralds valued in the global market where a 10-carat stone can cost much more than diamonds of the same size.

Colombian emeralds, also known as ‘The Green Spell’, exude colours that reflect Colombia’s green features – from its flag to the verdant prairies, mountains, fertile landscape, the Amazon rainforests, and natural reserves of the country.

Colombia owns the crown when it comes to the largest and finest emeralds discovered in the world. The largest recorded and registered in the Guinness Book of Records was found in Las Cruces mine near Gachala in 1969 weighing 7,025 carats. The Fura emerald, found in 1999 in Muzo, Boyaca, is the second largest cut in the world, weighing 11,000 carats and 2.2 kilograms. The third largest emerald vein in the world known as Petra was also found in a mine in Muzo, weighing 236 pounds and has more than 60 embedded emeralds of all shapes and sizes.

Colombian emeralds are also heralded as the world’s most expensive jewel after the tiara of Princess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck from a noble German family was auctioned in 2011 at USD 12.7 million. In addition, Colombian emeralds have also adorned famous Hollywood stars such as Amy Adams, Annette Benning, Marisa Tomei, and Reese Witherspoon who all wore this beauty during the Oscar Awards Red Carpet in 2010.

High-level business delegates from Santiago de Cali, the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, the most populous city in southwest Colombia, explored international partnership and investment opportunities during their visit to the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Colombian delegates engaged with prospective global partners and investors to highlight a myriad of growth prospects in Cali’s key sectors such as sports and health tourism, two of its major industries.

During the visit, the group highlighted what makes Cali different from other cities and showcase the city’s competitive edge as the doorway to the Colombian Pacific. Companies are growing in Cali thanks to its business-friendly policies and solutions, as well as its capability to fully support their operations. Zonamerica, the first services free trade zone in the country and tech park, is situated in the city.

Cali, the main urban and economic center in the south of the country, is considered one of the fastest-growing economies in Colombia. It is also one of the most biodiverse. The city is home to more than 900 species of birds and is a favorite destination for hiking and some extreme sports.

Dubbed as Colombia’s sporting capital, it was a host to many international sporting competitions. These included the 1971 Pan American Games, the 1992 World Wrestling Championships, the 2013 World Games, the 2014 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, the 2015 World Youth Championships in Athletics, and the inaugural 2021 Junior Pan American Games.

Furthermore, Cali is the location of numerous healthcare providers that offer affordable but higher-quality healthcare treatments. Some 72,000 medical tourists from all over the world come to the city a year to avail themselves of local healthcare services.
It is renowned as well for its bilingual and young human talents, nurtured by multiple local initiatives being undertaken to strengthen their communication and technical skills. This is amid the growing global demands for technology and services operations.

Additionally, the city-region, which mainly grows sugarcane and coffee, hosts more than 200 multinationals, accounts for 37 per cent of Valle del Cauca’s exports, and represents almost 12 per cent of the regional gross domestic product (GDP). Its other top exports apart from sugarcane and coffee are fresh and exotic fruits, pharmaceutical and chemical products, fashion and accessories, cultural and creative industry, machinery, agroindustry and construction, cocoa derivatives and confectionaries.
As a business center that boasts of reliable infrastructure and connectivity, Cali remains a low-cost city where companies can achieve higher cost savings in their key operations. Investment opportunities are immense in major local sectors such as manufacturing, agribusiness, renewable energy, human resources, information technology, software business process outsourcing (BPO), and many more.

Called the ‘Capital of Salsa,’ it is also famous for its unique style of salsa. On food, Cali offers the traditional sancocho and tamales apart from seafood made delicious by a wide variety of herbs.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Producers to
Market Alliance program, will be visiting the Colombia pavilion at the EXPO 2020 Dubai to
explore various partnership opportunities and facilitate Colombia’s market exposure.

USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and functions as a catalyst
for driving global development. Through its Producers to Markets Alliance (PMA) Program,
the agency improves coordination between producers, buyers, and international markets.

The PMA program works to strengthen economies by working closely with producers to
improve the quality and volume of raw materials to match market standards, and to help them
become more competitive nationally and internationally through training and guidance.
Currently, the program has been implemented in the Colombian departments of Antioquia,
Bolívar, Caquetá, Cauca, Córdoba, Meta, Nariño, and Valle del Cauca. Each partner in the
program was chosen due to their unique, high-quality products, and their willingness to
strengthen the value chain as a whole working closely with producers.

Improving connections between producers and export companies further strengthens the
supply chain and works towards improving the livelihoods of Colombian families. Through
the EXPO 2020, companies partnered with the PMA in various Colombian regions will
receive more networking opportunities, discover new market trends, and liaise with
international buyers.

The Colombian partners of the PMA are looking forward to this opportunity presented by the
EXPO 2020 Dubai to expand and showcase their potential.

Colombia, considered as one of the seven pantries in the world, is seeking to explore opportunities in exporting bovine meat to the UAE. The country hopes to promote the benefits of its premium meat products during the agriculture month that will take place in the pavilion and food, agriculture, and livelihood week at Expo 2020 Dubai during February.

Through its participation in the most inclusive world Expo, the nation aims to increase its meat exports to the MENA region and promote Colombia’s strong investment portfolio. The remaining months of the global exhibition are packed with meetings between Colombia and leaders of influential companies in the UAE to discuss strategies to ensure food security in the Middle East and how Colombia can leverage its livestock sector to meet the target.

The nation’s privileged location and topography ensures that cattle herd are grass-fed all year around without the use of growth hormones and boosters, promoting natural growth and ensuring the highest quality of meat produced. This practice adheres to the standards for Halal, making Colombia’s produce a suitable choice for the Middle East region. As a result, there is a growing demand in the Middle East for Colombian meat products that meet halal standards.

Products from natural and healthy or chemical-free meat production practices are labeled with the Colombian Beef Grass-Fed CO seal. This distinctive mark means guaranteed safe, healthy, and high-quality meat produced and manufactured naturally and sustainably.  In 2021, a Colombian company first obtained this certification for beef exports, further boosting the entry of Colombian premium meat into international markets.

As a country that has already entered the UAE market through the export of its fruits, vegetables and meat, Colombia is well-positioned to further expand its presence in the Middle East and significantly contribute to meeting the demand for meat products.

This exponential growth of meat exports from Colombia is attributed to the quality of the nation’s livestock products. Colombia’s broad livestock sector, the fourth largest cattle herd in Latin America, is known for excellent cattle breeds including Zebu and the Colombian Brahman. Cattle farms are concentrated in the departments of Antioquia, Caquetá, Meta, Casanare, and Córdoba, and are known for sustainable and healthy meat production practices.

Another factor that boosts Colombia’s meat export position is the nation’s location and logistics infrastructure. Strategically located at the border of Central and South America, Colombia has access to major ports and its robust logistics infrastructure are equipped with cold chain facilities suitable for meat products.

Colombia has been diversifying its export product portfolio leveraging its rich sectors including agribusiness, livestock, fintech, and information and communications technology (ICT), among others. Expo 2020 is an added booster to this growing Colombia export strategy and helps to further stimulate the economic growth of various industries and sectors in Colombia.

Colombia, a nation known for its wealth and abundance of produce, participated in Gulfood 2022, the world’s largest annual food and beverage (F&B) sourcing event. The event, realized from 13-17 February 2022, was a platform for the pavilion to promote its products and explore various partnership and investment opportunities to expand the international reach of the country’s F&B sector.

Nine companies from Colombia showed their latest innovations and opportunities in the country’s food industry, especially for commodities such as beef, cocoa, coffee, fruits and other superfoods.

Some of these companies include Selvática, Sommet sparkling water, La Gufanda coffee, Nativa (fruits), Fedegan (meat), Friogan (meat), Daabon (fruits, oil, sustainable agriculture) Nutresa (cocoa, coffee) and Colombina (sweets). The vibrant show is further testament to Colombia’s rich agricultural and meat biodiversity and highlights its potential to become one of the leading countries in the foodservice sector.

The country’s National Coffee Association has also set up its stand at the show to arouse curiosity and draw participants’ attention to the unique properties of Colombian coffee.

Colomibia, which is one of the world’s seven food pantries according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), aims to take advantage of the unique opportunities at Gulfood 2022 to showcase its export potential. The country’s key F&B players foresee new opportunities for collaboration with Middle Eastern markets through this participation.

Colombia, a diverse country that boasts of rich and flavorful produce celebrated the Expo Food Week from February 17 – 23, by displaying a variety of exotic Colombian produce at their pavilion. Colombia, is one of the seven pantries in the world according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has exported fresh and processed fruits and vegetables to the UAE amounting to more than AED 16.5 million (USD 4.5 million) in 2021, a 137 per cent increase from the previous year.

The country’s strategic geographical location and climate provides the ideal conditions to produce more than 400 varieties of fruit through the year. Today, Colombia has been regarded as one of the ten most important exotic fruit suppliers in the world.

Colombia’s fruits and vegetables are known for their colour, flavour, and aroma. The fruits have been adopted by many international cuisines too. Thanks to the EXPO, the UAE now sells eleven different varieties of Colombian fruit, including feijoas, curubas, pitahayas, granadillas, gulupas, baby bananas, uchuvas, guavas, papayas, tree tomatoes and figs- all of which are available at the UAE’s local online market Kibsons and other retailers.

Trade relations between Colombia and the UAE have witnessed continuous development over the years with the Colombian fruit market experiencing tremendous growth, and sales expected to further double this year.

Visitors had a chance to enjoy the South American nation’s delicious fruits while also learning more about the country at the Colombia Pavilion. Through the EXPO Food, agriculture and livelihood Week, Colombia promoved the country’s abundant natural resources, including tourism, as well as develop investment prospects.

La participación de Colombia en la exposición universal es un hito en la conquista del mercado de Medio Oriente.

Colombia Expo Dubái es un proyecto país que hace parte de la estrategia de reactivación económica, que incluye la apertura y fortalecimiento de nuevos mercados.

La Expo ha sido la puerta de entrada para el país una oportunidad única para visibilizar su oferta en exportaciones, inversión y turismo en el mercado de los Emiratos Árabes y de los países de la región MEASA (Medio Oriente, África y Sur de Asia)

El pabellón es un showcase experiencial que incluye un recorrido de 20 minutos con presencia de las seis regiones turísticas, productos emblemáticos y  el diseño y la moda del país.

Datos Destacados:

En 2021 Colombia alcanzó exportaciones NME a Emiratos Árabes Unidos por 32 millones de dólares, lo que representa un incremento del 38% frente al 2020, superando la cifra histórica promedio de crecimiento del 11% anual.

Así mismo, la Expo 2020 ha demostrado ser una inmejorable plataforma para atraer inversión extranjera directa a Colombia, pues al cierre del 2021 se lograron proyectos por 100 millones de dólares.

Adicionalmente, gracias a la estrategia de promoción de turismo en esta región del mundo, Turkish aumentó el número de frecuencias aéreas entre Emiratos Árabes y Colombia de tres semanales a una diaria.

Estos resultados se logran gracias al trabajo conjunto de Procolombia a través de las oficinas comerciales de la región, del esfuerzo de los aliados comerciales del proyecto y del equipo del Pabellón de Colombia.

Desde octubre de 2021, en el marco de la participación de Colombia en Expo Dubái, más de 300 empresas colombianas han expuesto sus productos y realizado acciones de promoción de negocios. Se han realizado más de 197 reuniones bilaterales entre las entidades públicas y privadas colombianas y empresas de los países del Golfo, interesados en la amplia oferta de productos y servicios de Colombia.

Con la suma de esfuerzos de 63 entidades públicas, privadas y regiones, el pabellón de Colombia ha logrado impactar a 1940 empresarios y representantes de países participantes en Expo, en un total de 36 eventos de negocios en sectores como la agroindustria, la infraestructura, tecnología, la moda, la energía y las industrias creativas.

Asi mismo Juan Valdez, Evok, Cooyuba y Palenke, espacios comerciales presentes en el Pabellón, han vendido hasta el final de enero 144.000 productos de la oferta exportable colombiana, dentro de los que se destacan 21.500 jugos de fruta colombiana, siendo mango y maracuyá las favoritas por los visitantes, 5.000 granadillas, la fruta exótica más novedosa para los locales, más de 10.000 helados de frutas emblemáticas del país y más de 10.000 bolsas de café.

Biodiversidad, cultura y turismo sostenible: la apuesta de Colombia en Expo 2020

Desde el 1 de octubre hasta cierre de enero, un millón de personas visitaron el Pabellón de Colombia, donde a través de imágenes y sonidos de alta calidad se transportaron a sus ‘seis encantadoras macro regiones’.

En los recorridos los visitantes conocieron la biodiversidad, la oferta de turismo sostenible de Colombia para el mundo.

Adicionalmente el pabellón ha tenido un total de 90 activaciones culturales que han impactado a más de 40.000 personas.