Despite the drop — from 57th in 2017 to 60th this year — Colombia's overall score in the Global Competitiveness Report actually increasing by 0.1 points to 61.6.
Latin America's ability to end extreme poverty and boost prosperity will depend "to a very large degree on the social inclusion of Afro-descendants," says the World Bank.
USO said this week that it had presented a proposal to Ecoptrol that included a request for higher salary and improved benefits for some 35,000 direct and contracted workers.
"The forecasts for 2018 and 2019 are promising and are supported by stronger growth in Colombia’s trading partners,” stated ECLAC in its mid-year regional breakdown.
While the peace process and divisive politics in Bogotá will be thornier issues, Duque's management of the fiscal deficit will prove tricky even amid rising GDP growth rates.