Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) (OTCQX: FECCF), the Calgary-based owner of 99.97% of Sociedad Portuaria Puerto Bahía and a 35% stake in Oleoducto de los Llanos Orientales S.A. (ODL), reported on August 14, 2026, adjusted EBITDA of $30.5 million USD for the second quarter of 2026, an 18% increase over the same period a year earlier. It was the company’s first set of results since it completed the sale of its Colombian exploration and production business on June 1, 2026.

Puerto Bahía describes itself as a multipurpose terminal in the Bay of Cartagena, Colombia, with a 20-meter natural draft, 155 hectares for operations and expansion, and separate liquid and dry cargo terminals. Frontera’s release describes ODL as a midstream asset serving the Llanos basin, which it says holds roughly 70% of Colombia’s proven crude oil reserves, and describes Frontera’s portfolio as anchored by the two assets.

Total revenues and other income reached $31.3 million USD, up from $25.5 million USD in the second quarter of 2025 and $26.8 million USD in the first quarter of 2026. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 63%, against 62% a year earlier. Frontera said adjusted EBITDA was driven by performance at the general cargo terminal at Puerto Bahía, which it calls the dry port, and by higher volumes handled at ODL. Chief Executive Officer Orlando Cabrales said Frontera is now working toward first gas in early 2027 at Puerto Bahía’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification project, which the company is developing with Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL) (NYSE: EC).

Frontera’s adjusted EBITDA rose 18% year over year in the second quarter. (Chart: Finance Colombia)

Rolling Cargo Outgrows Barrels at Puerto Bahía

Frontera attributed the increase in port revenue to performance in the general cargo terminal, where roll-on/roll-off volumes grew, and to higher liquids volumes driven by higher throughput from Ecopetrol. The general cargo terminal handled 48,074 roll-on/roll-off units, which Cabrales called a record, a 70% increase over the 28,283 units moved a year earlier and 26% more than the first quarter. April 2026 alone set a single-month record of 17,200 units. General cargo terminal revenue rose 87%, to $8.1 million USD from $4.3 million USD.

Puerto Bahía handled 48,074 roll-on/roll-off units in the second quarter of 2026. (Chart: Finance Colombia)

General cargo overtook liquids as Puerto Bahía’s larger revenue line. (Chart: Finance Colombia)

Liquids terminal revenue was lower than a year earlier, at $6.5 million USD against $6.8 million USD. Throughput reached 39,889 barrels per day, up 8% from 36,937 in the first quarter but down 25% from 53,280 a year earlier. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) volumes reached 4,000 tons in the quarter against 1,200 tons in the first quarter; Frontera reports no LPG volumes in the year-earlier quarter. Port revenue totaled $14.6 million USD, up 29% from $11.3 million USD a year earlier, of which $60,000 USD came from Guyana and the rest from the Colombia terminals.

Container traffic declined to 3,277 TEUs, or 20-foot equivalent units, from 3,993 a year earlier. Break bulk volumes, which Frontera reports in tons or cubic meters, came in at 11,199 against 25,216 in the first quarter and 7,538 a year earlier.

The port’s operating income fell 44%, to $1.0 million USD from $1.8 million USD a year earlier. In Puerto Bahía’s own income statement, revenue rose to $14.6 million USD from $11.2 million USD while costs rose to $8.8 million USD from $6.1 million USD, an increase Frontera attributed to the higher general cargo volumes and the start-up of LPG operations. Depreciation, amortization and impairment expense rose to $2.2 million USD from $1.7 million USD, and restructuring, severance and other costs rose to $1.4 million USD from $607,000 USD. Puerto Bahía’s own EBITDA, which Frontera reports separately from adjusted EBITDA, was $4.6 million USD against $4.1 million USD a year earlier.

ODL Throughput Rises as the Tariff Eases

ODL transported an average of 239,333 barrels per day during the quarter, up 1.5% from a year earlier. ODL states on its own website that the system’s effective transport capacity averages 245,000 barrels per day for crude with viscosity up to 1,500 centistokes.

ODL throughput reached 98% of the capacity the pipeline publishes for the system. (Chart: Finance Colombia)

The pipeline, in operation since 2009, runs a 235-kilometer main line from the Rubiales Station in Puerto Gaitán, Meta, to the Monterrey Station in Casanare, plus a 25-kilometer branch from El Viento to Cusiana and a 19-kilometer Caño Sur interconnection, for 279 kilometers in total. ODL says the system transports 30% of the crude oil produced in Colombia.

ODL recorded net income of $47.5 million USD for the quarter, of which $16.6 million USD was attributable to Frontera, and EBITDA of $77.1 million USD against $69.3 million USD a year earlier. The average transportation tariff eased to $4.59 USD per barrel from $4.73 USD a year earlier. In Frontera’s adjusted EBITDA reconciliation, the line representing its 35% participation in ODL’s revenue, operating costs and general and administrative expenses rose to $27.0 million USD from $24.3 million USD.

The two measures Frontera reports for its assets are not additive. (Chart: Finance Colombia)

ODL declared net dividends of $64.7 million USD to Frontera Pipeline Investment AG during 2026, against $52.9 million USD in 2025, plus an additional $5.2 million USD return of capital in the second quarter. Frontera has received $26.8 million USD of that in cash so far this year.

Headline Profit Comes From the Business Frontera Sold

Frontera booked net income attributable to equity holders of $29.0 million USD for the quarter. Continuing operations produced a net loss of $4.0 million USD, or $0.06 USD per diluted share. The profit came from the discontinued exploration and production assets sold to Parex Resources Inc. (TSX: PXT), which contributed $33.0 million USD of income, or $0.47 USD per diluted share. Operating income from continuing operations was positive at $6.1 million USD, after absorbing $7.5 million USD of impairment expense and $4.1 million USD of restructuring, severance and other costs.

Because those assets are now classified as discontinued, Frontera re-presented its 2025 continuing-operations figures. On that basis it reported a $439.2 million USD net loss from continuing operations in the second quarter of 2025, and an operating loss of $427.9 million USD that included a $432.2 million USD impairment charge and $9.4 million USD of restructuring, severance and other costs.

Frontera closed the quarter with $56.3 million USD in cash and equivalents, $170.5 million USD in total debt and lease liabilities, and net debt of $114.2 million USD. Net debt to trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA fell to 0.98 times from 1.33 times at the end of March 2026. Trailing 12-month infrastructure distributable cash flow was $78.8 million USD, up from $51.4 million USD a quarter earlier, a difference driven by the timing of ODL distribution payments between periods, the company said.

On June 1, 2026, Frontera said its infrastructure business was expected to generate $110 million USD to $120 million USD of adjusted EBITDA in 2026, alongside $80 million USD to $85 million USD of distributable free cash flow. First-half adjusted EBITDA was $59.0 million USD.

Frontera Targets First Gas in Early 2027

Puerto Bahía has signed a take-or-pay agreement with Ecopetrol covering a seven-year service term that begins when operations start, and has secured floating storage and regasification capacity from US-based Excelerate Energy, Inc. (NYSE: EE). LNG Prime reported on August 6, 2026, that Excelerate had confirmed a seven-year charter with a Frontera subsidiary for a floating storage and regasification unit at an LNG import terminal under development in Colombia.

Ecopetrol announced on May 25, 2026, that it and Sociedad Portuaria Puerto Bahía were entering the execution phase after the Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura (National Infrastructure Agency, ANI) issued a favorable opinion on a non-substantial modification to the port concession and the Autoridad Nacional de Licencias Ambientales (National Environmental Licensing Authority, ANLA) approved a minor environmental change. In that announcement, Ecopetrol said the work would ensure entry into operation in December 2026, and that the company would then be able to contribute an initial supply of up to 300 GBTUD, or gigaBTU per day, to Colombia’s gas balance.

Bayron Triana, then Ecopetrol’s vice president of energies for the transition, said in that announcement, translated from Spanish:

With these port and environmental approvals fully enabling the infrastructure, we are beginning the execution phase of a project that is strategic for the country, aimed at strengthening energy security and the reliability of natural gas supply in Colombia, particularly during the most critical stage of the El Niño phenomenon.

Triana, whose title El Tiempo gives as executive vice president of energies for the transition, resigned voluntarily effective July 31, 2026, the newspaper reported. Ernesto Alfonso Gómez, general manager of refining, was to take over the vice presidency on an acting basis on August 1, 2026, until a permanent appointment is made, El Tiempo reported.

Valora Analitik reported the same day that the floating unit had not yet been contracted and might not arrive until late 2026 or during 2027, that imported gas would begin entering the system after December 2026 rather than before it, and that Puerto Bahía would be Colombia’s second regasification plant after Sociedad Portuaria El Cayao (SPEC), a subsidiary of Promigas (BVC: PROMIGAS).

Colombia’s proven natural gas reserves stood at 1,717 billion cubic feet at the end of 2025, a 54% decline from 2018, with a reserves-to-production ratio of 5.9 years and a negative reserve replacement rate, according to the Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos (National Hydrocarbons Agency, ANH) reserves report reviewed in Finance Colombia’s July 2026 analysis of the reserves collapse.

What the Parex Sale Returned to Shareholders

Parex closed its purchase of Frontera International Holdings B.V. on June 1, 2026. The subsidiary held the Colombian exploration and production assets, a reverse osmosis water treatment facility and a palm oil plantation. Aggregate consideration was $750 million USD, comprising $500 million USD in upfront cash, $225 million USD of assumed net debt and a $25 million USD payment contingent on an extension of the Quifa contract with Ecopetrol. Shareholders approved the arrangement on April 30, 2026, as Finance Colombia reported in May 2026.

Frontera distributed $8.34 CAD per share, roughly $590 million CAD or $430 million USD, to holders of record on June 12, 2026, paid June 23, 2026. It retained $64 million USD, allocating $25 million USD to reducing debt and other liabilities and $39 million USD to growth projects at Puerto Bahía. Chairman Gabriel de Alba said the outcome “reflects a multi-year effort to simplify the Company, crystallize value and establish a stronger foundation for its next phase.”

Management is scheduled to discuss the results with analysts and investors on a conference call on August 18, 2026, at 9 a.m. Eastern time.

Headline photo: A roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier is loaded at Puerto Bahía’s general cargo terminal in Cartagena. (Photo courtesy Puerto Bahía)

Colombia’s Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications, or MinTIC) will create a specialized working group to monitor what social media platforms are doing to detect and remove content that criminal structures use to recruit minors, the ministry announced on August 28, 2026. The group will meet weekly to check whether the platforms and other digital-industry actors are meeting the commitments they have made.

Minister Alexandra Falla Zerrate made the announcement after meeting with representatives of the Asociación Latinoamericana de Internet (Latin American Internet Association, or Alai), a Montevideo-based industry association whose members include Meta (NASDAQ: META), TikTok, Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), X and MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI). According to the ministry, the meeting examined the growth of the problem and the way criminal structures use digital platforms to approach children and adolescents.

The announcement came four days after Human Rights Watch published a 124-page report on the recruitment of minors by armed groups in Colombia. Based on its analysis of data from the Defensoría del Pueblo (Ombudsman’s Office), the organization counted at least 1,500 children and adolescents recruited since 2021, with a sharp rise in cases since 2023, and found that dissident factions of the demobilized FARC were behind the large majority of reported cases, and that more than half of all reported cases were in the department of Cauca. The report’s researchers reviewed more than 70 accounts and 40 posts on platforms including Facebook and TikTok that glorified membership in armed groups or invited users to join them, and concluded that the platforms had not effectively detected or removed that content and that in some cases their algorithms appeared to promote it.

“Armed groups in Colombia are recruiting children with impunity, as protection systems are failing, and social media platforms have become a more effective recruiting ground,” said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, when the report was released.

Separately, the Defensoría del Pueblo registered 97 cases of forced recruitment of minors between January 1 and July 31, 2026, according to El Espectador, after 684 cases in all of 2024 and 428 in 2025. The agency cautioned that the lower reported figure does not necessarily mean recruitment has fallen, since many victims and families do not report out of fear, distrust of institutions or normalization of the violence.

Five measures

The ministry listed five measures coming out of the meeting. The first is the working group itself, which will provide permanent follow-up on the actions taken by platforms and other ecosystem actors and verify compliance with the commitments made to prevent recruitment.

The second concerns detection technology. Participants discussed the role of artificial intelligence in identifying and filtering recruitment-related content and concluded that, while automated tools catch and remove a significant share of posts, they must be complemented by interdisciplinary human review to catch material that slips past the filters. Falla urged the digital-industry participants to build teams of people who understand Colombian forms of communication, whether visual, verbal or written, so that they can recognize this type of messaging and act on it immediately.

The third measure is a push to stop the content from being published in the first place rather than removing it after the fact. Falla said she was concerned about the circulation of content that can be used to lure or induce minors into recruitment and called for technological tools, including properly programmed detection algorithms, that identify and block such posts before they go up.

The fourth addresses the share of content that evades detection. Raúl Echeberría, Alai’s executive director, told the meeting that platforms currently remove more than 90% of the identified content related to the problem. Falla responded that the challenge is to keep cutting the percentage that gets past detection mechanisms and to reach 100% neutralization of that content.

The fifth measure is coordination. The ministry and the industry representatives agreed that confronting the online recruitment of minors requires joint action by the authorities, the technology platforms, other digital-ecosystem actors and families.

What the platforms have said

In written responses to Human Rights Watch that were published as annexes to the report, both Meta and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, said their policies prohibit content that promotes, supports or champions violent organizations, including Colombian armed groups, and that they had removed the profiles the organization flagged. According to El Tiempo, Meta reported removing 16 Facebook profiles and TikTok reported removing 35 profiles and their associated content. TikTok also told the organization that between January and March 2026 it removed 99.4% of content in Colombia that violated its policy on violent organizations and individuals before it was reported, that it blocks search terms associated with criminal organizations, and that users under 16 cannot access direct messages or group chats where those features are available.

Human Rights Watch’s own conclusion was that the platforms have not been able to effectively detect and prevent the spread of this content. According to El Tiempo, the full report recommends that the platforms establish specific reporting channels adapted to children in Spanish and in relevant indigenous languages, preserve evidence when content is removed, and publicly report on their compliance with child-safety obligations under international standards and Colombian law.

Falla, a social communications graduate of the Universidad Externado de Colombia with more than three decades in the audiovisual and public television sector, took office with the administration of President Abelardo de la Espriella, which was inaugurated on August 7, 2026. The ministry said that for Falla the protection of minors is a priority issue. The announcement did not specify who will sit on the working group or whether the platforms’ commitments will be made public.

Headline photo: Minister Alexandra Falla Zerrate with representatives of the Asociación Latinoamericana de Internet and the digital industry at the ministry. (Photo courtesy MinTIC)

Colombia’s national gross domestic product figures obscure significant differences among the country’s departments, according to an analysis by the economic research team at Bancolombia, the banking subsidiary of Grupo Cibest S.A. (NYSE: CIB; BVC: CIBEST, PFCIBEST). Based on 2025 preliminary departmental GDP data and departmental economic activity indicators for the first half of 2026 published by Colombia’s Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE), the analysis shows that a small number of regions account for most of the country’s output while others remain much more exposed to individual industries and commodity cycles.

“Some departments start from a more favorable position to face a cyclical challenge in their most productive sector.” – Bancolombia’s Economic Research team

Colombia’s economy grew 2.2% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, but the national figure masks a wide range of regional outcomes. Santander led departmental growth at 3.1%, followed by Antioquia at 2.9%, Cundinamarca at 2.7%, Bogotá D.C. at 2.5% and Valle del Cauca at 2.3%, according to the Bancolombia analysis. All five outperformed the national economy.

This regional picture comes as Colombia’s broader growth outlook remains constrained by inflation and fiscal pressures. Grupo Cibest previously cut its full-year 2026 growth forecast to 2.6%, while Bancolombia’s more recent consumption data showed real household consumption growth slowing to 1.2% in the second quarter, its weakest pace in more than a year.

Five of Colombia’s largest regional economies outperformed national GDP growth in the first quarter of 2026. Source: DANE; calculations by Bancolombia / Grupo Cibest.

A small group of departments dominates national output

Bogotá D.C. accounted for 25.4% of Colombia’s national GDP in 2025, according to preliminary DANE figures. Commerce, transportation and lodging, together with financial services, underpin the capital’s economic weight, with Bogotá accounting for roughly half of the country’s financial-sector value added.

Antioquia, whose capital is Medellín, contributed 15.0% of national GDP. Its economy is more diversified, combining manufacturing and agriculture with commerce and services. Valle del Cauca, home to Cali, contributed another 9.8%, with commerce operating alongside a substantial manufacturing base.

Together, Bogotá D.C., Antioquia and Valle del Cauca represented 50.2% of Colombia’s GDP in 2025. DANE independently reports that these three economies accounted for nearly half of national output. Adding Santander, Cundinamarca and Atlántico brings the six largest departmental economies to 67.3% of Colombia’s total GDP.

Bogotá, Antioquia and Valle del Cauca together accounted for 50.2% of Colombia’s 2025 GDP. Source: DANE; calculations by Bancolombia / Grupo Cibest. Chart: Finance Colombia.

That concentration is not simply a reflection of population. It also reflects decades of accumulated infrastructure, specialized labor, financial activity and established production chains. DANE’s departmental GDP series shows Bogotá D.C. and Antioquia as the country’s two largest departmental economies, while Vaupés and Guainía remain at the opposite end of the scale.

A consumption-driven model faces a tougher test

Bancolombia’s researchers caution that the strength of commerce and services in the largest departmental economies does not eliminate concerns about the durability of consumption-led growth.

Household income is likely to face pressure from elevated inflation, interest rates, unemployment and weaker remittance inflows, according to the analysis. Bancolombia’s August consumption report provides a similar signal: real consumption grew 1.2% in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest rate in more than a year, with every major region losing momentum compared with the previous quarter.

That makes the performance of other sectors increasingly important. Bancolombia points specifically to mining and construction as activities with greater potential for a rebound as Colombia’s economic cycle develops.

For the country’s departments, however, the implications are very different depending on their underlying economic structure. A slowdown in household consumption can have a relatively broad impact on diversified economies, while a recovery in commodities can have a disproportionately large effect on regions where mining and hydrocarbons dominate.

Where Colombia’s departments specialize

Bancolombia’s researchers use a location quotient to identify the sectors in which individual departments are unusually specialized. The measure compares the weight of a sector in a department’s economy with that sector’s weight nationally.

A location quotient of 1 means that the sector has approximately the same relative importance locally as it does in Colombia as a whole. A figure above 1 indicates that the sector is more important to that department than it is nationally.

The differences can be striking. Meta recorded a location quotient of 9.0 for mining and quarrying, with the sector accounting for 36.7% of the department’s GDP. Casanare recorded a quotient of 8.1, La Guajira 7.3, Arauca 7.0 and Cesar 6.7.

By contrast, Vichada had a location quotient of 3.8 for agriculture, while San Andrés recorded a quotient of 3.0 for commerce, transportation and lodging.

Mining dominates the economic profiles of several commodity-producing departments, while agriculture and commerce dominate elsewhere. Source: DANE; calculations by Bancolombia / Grupo Cibest. Chart: Finance Colombia.

The concentration of mining and hydrocarbons in departments such as La Guajira, Cesar, Casanare and Meta means their economic performance is more closely connected to international commodity prices and production cycles than that of the country’s largest diversified economies.

That exposure was visible in the first quarter of 2026. Cesar and Meta each recorded a 0.3% year-over-year contraction, while Casanare contracted 2.0%.

The pattern does not necessarily mean that specialization is a permanent disadvantage. Instead, it means that regional performance can change sharply when the economic cycle turns. A recovery in mining, housing and infrastructure investment could disproportionately benefit departments that already have the workforce, companies and physical capacity required to expand those activities.

Bancolombia therefore expects some commodity-dependent regions to have greater room for recovery if those sectors regain momentum. Bolívar and Boyacá, meanwhile, could benefit from a recovery in construction given their relatively high specialization in that activity.

Diversification creates a different kind of resilience

The distinction between specialization and diversification becomes clearer when Bancolombia’s production-concentration coefficient is applied to departmental economies.

The coefficient ranges from 0, representing a highly diversified production structure, to 1, representing an economy concentrated in a single activity.

San Andrés recorded the highest concentration coefficient among the departments examined, at 0.39, followed by Vaupés at 0.30, Vichada at 0.25 and Guainía at 0.21.

At the other end of the scale, Antioquia had the lowest coefficient at 0.04, followed by Boyacá at 0.05, Valle del Cauca at 0.06 and Bogotá D.C. at 0.07.

Antioquia, Boyacá, Valle del Cauca and Bogotá have among Colombia’s most diversified regional economies. Source: DANE; calculations by Bancolombia / Grupo Cibest. Chart: Finance Colombia.

The distinction matters because diversification can provide a degree of protection against shocks concentrated in a single industry. Antioquia, for example, combines manufacturing, agriculture, commerce and services rather than depending overwhelmingly on one commodity or activity.

Commodity specialization can work in the opposite direction. When international prices, production volumes or investment conditions move against a dominant sector, the effects can spread through employment, local demand, government revenues and business investment across the department.

At the same time, a specialized economy can benefit rapidly when conditions turn favorable. Bancolombia’s analysis therefore frames specialization less as a weakness in itself than as a structural characteristic that determines how departments respond to different stages of the economic cycle.

Competitiveness follows a similar geographic pattern

The same concentration appears in Colombia’s competitiveness rankings.

The 2026 edition of the Índice Departamental de Competitividad, produced by the Consejo Privado de Competitividad and Universidad del Rosario, ranks Bogotá D.C., Antioquia and Valle del Cauca among the country’s strongest-performing territories. The index measures 32 departments plus Bogotá D.C. using indicators drawn from official sources.

At the opposite end, Vaupés, Vichada and Guainía rank among the weakest-performing territories.

The competitiveness gap reflects many of the same structural advantages visible in GDP data: infrastructure, human capital, institutions, connectivity and established economic networks tend to reinforce one another over long periods.

These advantages are difficult to reproduce quickly. A department cannot easily replicate in a few years the industrial base, universities, financial institutions, transport infrastructure and supplier networks that have accumulated in Bogotá, Antioquia or Valle del Cauca over decades.

That suggests that regional development policies may be more effective when they build on existing capabilities rather than attempting to create entirely new economic ecosystems from scratch.

Colombia’s regional economy is more uneven than the headline GDP suggests

Taken together, the data present two very different pictures of Colombia’s economy.

The first is a relatively small group of large, diversified departmental economies led by Bogotá D.C., Antioquia and Valle del Cauca. These regions account for roughly half of national output and combine commerce and services with manufacturing, agriculture and other activities.

The second is a much larger group of smaller economies with far greater dependence on individual sectors. In commodity-producing departments, international prices and production cycles can matter more than the trajectory of domestic household consumption. In other regions, agriculture, tourism-linked commerce or public-sector activity can play an outsized role.

That distinction matters for investors, businesses and policymakers because a national growth rate does not tell the whole story. Colombia can record moderate expansion while individual departments simultaneously experience very different combinations of growth, contraction, opportunity and risk.

Bancolombia’s latest NowCast estimated that Colombia’s economy grew 2.7% in the second quarter of 2026. The departmental analysis suggests that understanding where that growth is generated, and which sectors are responsible for it, is just as important as the headline national figure.

For regional policymakers, the implication is equally important: diversification can reduce exposure to individual shocks, but existing specialization can also become an advantage when the economic cycle turns in favor of the sectors in which a department already has deep productive capabilities.

Headline picture : Picture of Cali Colombia Cathedral (Courtesy of Cathey Comm)

Colombia’s national government has contracted five parametric agricultural insurance policies covering 14,402 smallholder farmers across Sucre, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, Meta and Chocó, with protection extending to as many as 41,600 people in farming households. The policies provide up to $20.14 million in coverage against drought and excess rainfall as Colombia prepares for the anticipated effects of El Niño in the second half of 2026.

The policies took effect August 1, 2026, giving participating departments a financial mechanism designed to respond more quickly when severe weather thresholds are reached.

“Preparing for El Niño means acting before disasters strike. Through this collaboration between the national government, the five participating departments and international partners, we are providing smallholder farmers with the financial protection they need to manage climate risks and protect their livelihoods.” – Lucy Inés García Montes, Governor of Sucre

The initiative is led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) and FINAGRO, in coordination with the governments of the five participating departments.

The program was delivered through the Tripartite Agreement Programme, a public-private partnership involving the Insurance Development Forum (IDF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with financing channeled through the InsuResilience Solutions Fund (ISF).

How parametric insurance works

Unlike conventional agricultural insurance, which generally requires an assessment of physical losses before a claim can be paid, the policies use a satellite-derived Water Balance Index monitored at the municipal level.

The index compares current conditions with historical data to identify periods of severe drought or excess rainfall. When predetermined thresholds are exceeded, payments are triggered automatically, potentially allowing affected farmers to receive financial support without waiting for individual loss assessments.

The product was co-designed by MADR with an IDF-member consortium comprising Guy Carpenter, Swiss Re, AXA Climate, Munich Re, insurtech company Raincoat and Colombian insurer La Previsora.

The consortium members and ISF co-financed the initiative, while the first-year premium was jointly funded by the Colombian government and ISF.

First departmental use of parametric insurance

The program represents the first use of parametric insurance by departmental governments in Colombia as a tool for agricultural risk management, according to the organizations involved.

For participating departments, the coverage is intended to provide a source of rapid financing following severe climate events while reducing reliance on emergency public funds. The initiative is also designed to establish the technical, legal and financial foundations for expanding parametric agricultural insurance to additional departments.

José Fernando Sánchez, senior vice president of Guy Carpenter Colombia and an IDF member, said the consortium’s participation demonstrated the potential of public-private collaboration to protect livelihoods and strengthen Colombia’s insurance market.

Dr. Annette Detken, head of the InsuResilience Solutions Fund, said climate-risk insurance can help smallholder farmers and rural communities recover more quickly from drought and excess rainfall.

The UNDP worked with MADR and FINAGRO to integrate the insurance policies into Colombia’s broader agricultural risk-management framework. Its work included supporting product development and strengthening the institutional capacity of departmental governments to adopt parametric insurance.

The program comes as Colombia seeks to strengthen financial tools for managing agricultural exposure to increasingly volatile weather conditions. By using predefined climate indicators rather than conventional claims assessments, parametric coverage is designed to provide liquidity soon after a qualifying event and help farmers maintain their livelihoods and productive capacity.

Building a model for climate-risk financing

The five policies cover farmers in departments with different agricultural profiles and climate exposures, creating a multi-region test of how satellite-based insurance can operate within Colombia’s decentralized agricultural risk-management system.

The initiative’s backers say the experience could provide a foundation for scaling parametric insurance to other parts of the country, while building local government capacity to identify, finance and manage climate risks.

For smallholder farmers, the immediate benefit is financial protection against weather events that can damage crops and undermine household income. For governments and insurers, the program offers a way to shift part of the financial burden of climate-related agricultural losses away from emergency response and toward pre-arranged risk financing.

The Insurance Development Forum is a public-private partnership co-chaired by UNDP and the World Bank Group that brings insurance expertise together with public policy and development priorities to strengthen resilience to disasters.

Headline photo by Frank Meriño via Pexels)

Throughout the summer, Turbay had been in critical condition, and intensive care at Bogotá’s Fundación Santa Fé Hospital as he underwent various brain and cranial surgeries led by neurosurgeon Dr. Fernando Hakim in an attempt to save his life. Though at the end of July it appeared his condition may be improving, things turned for the worse in early August.

At the age of five, Uribe Turbay (no relation to former president Alvaro Uribe) lost his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, who died while held kidnapped by Pablo Escobar.  Former President Julio César Turbay was his grandfather. Uribe studied law and public policy at University of The Andes in Bogotá and began his political career as a Liberal Party member of the Bogotá City Council at the age of 25.

Former President Álvaro Uribe invited Uribe Turbay to run for senate with his Centro Democrático party. Uribe Turbay won the seat in 2022 with strong support and served as senator until, at Alvaro Uribe’s invitation, announcing his run for the presidency, with elections next year.

Urbe, dead at the hands of a child assassin, lost his mother to Pablo Escobar when himself a child.

The Assassins

So far, several individuals have been detained for allegedly participating in Uribe’s murder:

• The 15-year-old assassin, who is being held in the Attorney General’s headquarters.
• Carlos Eduardo Mora, who drove the teen to where Uribe was speaking.
• Christian González Ardila, the man who was to drive the getaway motorcycle.
• Elder José Arteaga, “El Costeño” the organizer of the assassination.
• Katerine “Gabriela” Martinez, accomplice and lover of El Costeño, provided the handgun to the assassin.
• William González Cruz, “El Viejo”

The current hypothesis put forward by Colombian law enforcement is that Elder José Arteaga, “El Costeño,”was a local small time gang leader unaffiliated with any of the larger mafia groups that plague Colombia, but while serving prison time in Meta, Colombia, he met “Daniel” (nom de guerre), part of the “Teófilo Forero squad of the Segunda Marquetalia, a guerilla mafia made up of former FARC members who rejected the 2016 peace accord signed between the FARC and the government. Accomplice Katerine Martinez was directed to Caquetá after the shooting by José Arteaga, according to her, to seek protection from the Segunda Marquetalia, active in the area. There she was captured by Colombian authorities.

General Carlos Triana Beltrán, director of Colombia’s National Police, said in a press conference last week that they believe Luciano Marín Arango “Ivan Márquez” and “José Aldinever Sierra Sabogal “Zarco Aldinever,” leaders of the Segunda Marquetalia, are the brains behind the assassination and contracted with El Costeño to carry it out.

Unconfirmed reports from last week say that Zarco Aldinever was killed near the Venezuelan border during a battle between the Segunda Marquetalia and rival guerilla mafia, the ELN. Those reports have not been confirmed and could be an attempt to redirect attention, hopefully (by the Segunda Marquetalia) staving off military action by Colombian forces.

Analysis

The Petro administration had already been criticized for refusing to provide the additional security that Uribe Turbay had asked for. The government is responsible for providing security to presidential candidates and other public figures who may be under threat of political violence, such as social activists, witnesses, legislators and local officials.

Uribe Turbay was the leading of five candidates of Alvaro Uribe’s Centro Democrático party and promised loyalty to the party’s godfather. “I aspire to be the best version of Miguel Uribe for Colombia, but of course with the best advisor in Álvaro Uribe,” he told Medellín’s leading daily El Colombiano in April.

With Alvaro Uribe convicted of witness tampering and the current administration of Gustavo Petro facing its own scandals and unpopularity, Colombia is approaching an especially divided election cycle. Hard core “Uribistas” or Uribe Supporters insist he is innocent despite the evidence and an independent judiciary. One does not have to be an Uribe supporter however, to see that current President Gustavo Petro’s promise of “Total Peace” and an end to guerrilla violence has been a complete failure. Groups such as the ELN, Clan del Golfo and Segunda Marquetalia are gaining territory and becoming even more brazen.

Though Uribe Turbay’s death may have a “sympathy vote” effect, Uribistas were already going to vote for the Centro Democrático candidate, and “pura sangre” (pure blood) Petristas, or Petro supporters, never would. When it comes to the largest group of voters with allegiances neither to Uribe or Petro, it is likely that dissatisfaction with Petro’s handling of security along with a distaste for Alvaro Uribe’s criminal record may lead to the emergence of a candidate from one of the right leaning parties outside of the Centro Democrático, such as Cambio Radical.

To be clear, no one serious is blaming President Petro for being involved in the attack. Still, he is blamed not just by Uribistas, but by other opposition figures for his coddling stance towards guerilla groups like the Segunda Marquetalia, for not providing adequate security for opposition candidates, and a worsening security climate where an act like this assassination can take place.

While there is not yet conclusive proof they are the ones who ordered the attack, the motivation for Segunda Marquetalia could be to stop the likely Uribista candidate early in the electoral process, because of their pledge to eliminate the remnants of guerilla groups like the ELN and Segunda Marquetalia.

A family’s pain

Uribe Turbay leaves behind his wife, María Claudia Tarazona. They met when he was 24 years old. She was 10 years older and had three daughters, so at first didn’t take his advances seriously but over time working together, their bonds grew, and they formed a family, having one more son together.

Photo:Instagram account of  Maria Claudia Tarazona

Best known for her time heading marketing at her brother’s company Meta (Facebook), Zuckerberg brought her passion for “Leadership in The Age of AI” and how artificial intelligence can support leaders in decision making but also encouraging women and girls to get involved in technology, and specifically AI. She spoke about how so many time she found herself the only woman in the room where important decisions were being made at a corporate level.

After Zuckerberg’s conversation with Loren Moss, executive editor of Finance Colombia, Zuckerberg answered questions from the local press corps with Moss moderating and serving as interpreter for the questions from local journalists attending the event.

Finance Colombia: We’re here with Randi Zuckerberg. First, welcome. And is this your first time in Medellín?

Randi Zuckerberg: First time in Medellín, but not my first time in Colombia. I’ve gotten to travel extensively around the country, but I’m delighted to be here.

Finance Colombia: Wonderful. Hopefully, you’ve had time to see the city, and what are your impressions?

Randi Zuckerberg: I have. Well, I got to tour all around yesterday, and I love a city that has a bit of a deep history that makes you think. But what I’m inspired by is how the city has taken a bit of a darker history and is transforming into an art and technology hub of the world. I think it is a model that a lot of other cities should be looking at.

Finance Colombia: Impressive. If you could just, in a couple of sentences, recap the message that you gave today–or that you’re giving today in your presentation later.

Randi Zuckerberg: Yes, I’m talking about leadership in the age of AI, and I’m going to be reflecting on my experience on the front lines of social media, and using that as a way to structure how people can think about being in this next new era of innovation with AI.

“I will eat this table if there are not more women in AI than there were in Web 2!”—Randi Zuckerberg

Something I’m very passionate about is talking about women in technology, and when I was on the front lines of Web 2.0 and social media, I was one of the few women in the room. And now that it’s 20 years later, and we’re on the dawn of a new era of innovation, it would break my heart if that happened again, and things didn’t change. So I feel passionate about mentoring women to be entrepreneurs, about getting more younger girls into technology, and especially making sure that women in universities around the world have the opportunity to study technology in the same way. So yeah, I will eat this table if there are not more women in AI than there were in Web 2.0.

Finance Colombia: How can AI be used as a tool to empower women?

Randi Zuckerberg: I think there are so many ways that AI can be used to empower. First of all, I think it levels the playing field, because AI can now do things like writing basic code, designing, so you can be anywhere in the world, and even if you grew up in an area where maybe girls don’t have the same access to education, you now have the tools to launch a successful business, and be an entrepreneur, and be on the same playing field as people across the world that had the best education and the best resources, and I think AI is going to just open a world of creativity.

Local journalist: One question for the old people who are going to embrace the changes with technology.

Randi Zuckerberg: I think that hopefully we’ll live in a world where wisdom and experience are honored and celebrated side by side with innovation and tech knowledge. I think if you’re just looking into the future, you’re missing a lot of valuable things about an organization, and a culture, and an industry. Likewise, though, we have to make sure that people who grew up without tech as a first language are partnered with a mentor who can bring them up to speed and help them upskill themselves. So I think I’m excited about a workforce where those two live side by side.

Health authorities are urgently calling on everyone in Colombia to get vaccinated against yellow fever starting at nine months of age, including individuals over 59 years old. Between September 2024 and now, 75 confirmed cases and 34 deaths have been reported nationwide, representing a cumulative fatality rate of 45.3%.

Confirmed cases are distributed across nine departments: Tolima (59 cases), Putumayo (7), Nariño (2), Caquetá (2), Huila (1), Vaupés (1), Cauca (1), Meta (1), and Caldas (1). Fatalities associated with the disease have been recorded in eight departments: Tolima (23 deaths), Putumayo (5), Caquetá (1), Nariño (1), Caldas (1), Cauca (1), Huila (1), and Meta (1).

Yellow fever is a viral illness transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Initial symptoms within the first 24 hours can include fever, headache, and general malaise. In the subsequent 72 hours, symptoms often intensify with gastrointestinal manifestations such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. From the fifth day onwards, signs like jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) and bleeding may occur, which can be fatal in unvaccinated individuals. The disease is highly preventable through vaccination, with a reported fatality rate ranging between 40% and 50%.

Colombia is implementing an urgent, free, door-to-door vaccine program to prevent the gruesome disease from spreading via mosquitos.

Since September 2024, the National Government has implemented a series of strategic actions to control the spread of yellow fever and protect public health:

• Intensified Vaccination Strategy: The age range for immunization has been expanded to include individuals from 9 months of age and older, with mass mobilization efforts in affected municipalities.
• Strengthened Epidemiological Surveillance: Over 20 rapid response teams have been deployed for active community case finding and field investigations. Entomovirological, pathological, and laboratory surveillance has also been reinforced through the national reference laboratory of the National Health Institute (Instituto Nacional de Salud).
• Expanded Primary Care: More than 100 Basic Health Care Teams (Equipos Básicos de Atención en Salud – EBAS) have been activated in municipalities with confirmed virus presence.
• Coordination with Health Promotion Entities (EPS) and Vaccination Networks: Health Promotion Entities (Entidades Promotoras de Salud – EPS) have been instructed to establish and operate vaccination teams in coordination with the public and private healthcare network in all affected territories.
• Territorial Coordination through Unified Command Posts (PMU): Twenty-two PMU sessions have been held in the department of Tolima, one in Caldas, and one at the national level, involving local, departmental, and national authorities. Additionally, an extraordinary session of the Risk Management Committee was convened in Huila.
• National Communication and Education Campaign: An information and education strategy has been activated to promote vaccination, self-care, and vector control nationwide.
• Clear Technical Guidelines for the Health System: Circulars with precise instructions for all actors in the national and territorial health system have been issued, disseminated, and technically supported.

The outbreak has demonstrated a progressive expansion, particularly in areas of the Amazon basin, the Magdalena River valley, and departments such as Meta, within a short period. Cases have also emerged in territories with no historical records of the disease, such as the municipality of Neira in Caldas, located in the coffee-growing region.

While urban transmission of yellow fever has not been reported in Colombia since 1929, there is a potential risk of re-emergence due to the frequent entry of individuals into enzootic areas—where the virus circulates in its sylvatic cycle through Sabethes and Haemagogus mosquito species—and their subsequent movement to urban zones below 2,200 meters above sea level, inhabited by urban cycle transmitting species such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.

Epidemiological monitoring has identified cases in populated centers and urban peripheries of municipalities with low population density, indicating a risk of expansion into larger urban centers. Given this scenario, vaccination remains the most effective tool for controlling yellow fever. Analysis of fatal cases has shown that the deceased individuals were unvaccinated, underscoring the urgency of increasing vaccination coverage. Territorial entities must prioritize immunization of the entire population over 9 months of age in high-risk municipalities and strengthen the intensification strategy in the rest of the country.

The Minister of Health and Social Protection (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social), Dr. Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo, stated, “With the declaration of the yellow fever emergency, we are intensifying actions to protect the entire population. Our Basic Health Teams, totaling more than 10,000, continue to travel to vaccinate all people in the most remote areas of the country, especially in high-risk zones. The vaccine is free, safe, and administered in a single dose, at least 10 days before entering risk areas.”

The Minister also added that door-to-door campaigns, vaccination drives in educational institutions, transportation terminals, military and police facilities, and other collective spaces will be strengthened. Furthermore, mosquito control measures will be reinforced, and immediate access to healthcare services without barriers will be guaranteed.

Considering the above, and within the framework of the declared health emergency, the following measures are adopted at the national level to contain the yellow fever outbreak, protect the lives of the population, and ensure a coordinated response from the health system:

• Mass Vaccination: A national mass mobilization will commence in high-risk municipalities and extend to the rest of the national territory. The vaccine is free, safe, administered in a single dose, and should be received 10 days before entering risk areas. Strategies will include door-to-door campaigns and vaccination in educational institutions, transportation terminals, military and police facilities, and other collective spaces.
• Integrated Vector (Mosquito) Control: Actions to control mosquitoes in homes, communities, healthcare facilities, and high-traffic areas such as market squares and terminals will be intensified. Mosquito nets will also be distributed in high-risk rural areas.
• Immediate Deployment of Basic Health Teams and Rapid Response Teams: These teams will play a crucial role in case identification, community education, epidemiological monitoring, and vaccine administration, bringing services closer to the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.
• Centralized Management of Health Services: Regional Emergency and Disaster Centers (Centros Reguladores de Urgencias y Emergencias – CRUE) will assume control of the availability of Intensive Care Units (ICU) and patient transfers.
• Obligations of Health Promotion Entities (EPS): EPS are required to allocate all necessary technical and financial resources through their public, private, and mixed networks to guarantee vaccination, prevention, and care for their entire affiliated population. Prior authorization from EPS for the provision of health services is not required.
• National Hospital Alert: A yellow hospital alert is activated throughout the public, private, and mixed healthcare network nationwide. This will be elevated to orange alert in municipalities with human cases and, if justified, to red alert, based on the analysis conducted by the territorial entity with the support of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Institute.
• Mobility Restrictions: Local authorities may implement access restrictions to areas with active virus transmission, following established protocols and in coordination with police forces. The protection of medical personnel during these operations will be guaranteed.
• Requirement of International Vaccination Certificate for Travelers: In compliance with the International Health Regulations, international travelers entering the country may be required to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate. The vaccine must have been administered at least 10 days before entering risk areas. (This measure will be adjusted based on World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations to avoid impacting tourism and trade).
• Culture of Prevention: Citizens are urged to adopt self-care measures, eliminate mosquito breeding sites in their surroundings, and seek timely vaccination. In particular, residents of municipalities located below 2,200 meters above sea level are advised to use insect repellent, mosquito nets, and clothing that covers the skin as personal protection measures against the yellow fever transmitting mosquito.
• Risk Management Committees: Departmental, district, and municipal territorial entities located in high-risk areas will convene risk management committees to adopt comprehensive control and risk management plans.

The director of the National Health Institute, Diana Marcela Pava, reiterated the duty to protect the health and lives of Colombians. “The measure to declare a health emergency was subjected to a rigorous risk assessment exercise, which is an internationally validated process to establish the level of risk the country is facing,” explained the director, adding that “thanks to this exercise, the measures announced by the Ministry of Health were taken.”

The Vice Minister of Public Health, Jaime Urrego, stated, “This emergency has a preventive emphasis. The vaccine saves lives, and this emergency reminds us that we must take extreme precautions. There are two key points: the change in the behavior of the disease and the risk of urbanization, especially in municipalities below 2,200 meters where we must vaccinate the entire population. We are not seeking to generate fear but to act jointly with experts to stop yellow fever.”

The General Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Rodolfo Salas, affirmed, “Colombia is a social state governed by the rule of law, where the right to life and health prevails. According to Article 69 of Law 1753 of 2015, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection is the competent governing body to declare a health emergency in the event of epidemics that endanger the public health of the country. This virus is showing rapid transmission, so we call on the competent authorities to take the necessary measures to prevent its spread.”

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection calls for the shared responsibility of all actors in the health system, territorial authorities, and the community in general to confront this emergency and protect lives.

Information for Travelers and Individuals in Risk Areas:

Yellow fever is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes typically bite during the day. For travelers and residents in areas below 2,200 meters above sea level, especially those in the departments with reported cases, the following precautions are recommended:

• Vaccination: The yellow fever vaccine is highly effective and provides lifelong protection with a single dose. It is recommended to receive the vaccine at least 10 days before traveling to or residing in risk areas. The vaccine is available free of charge in affected municipalities for individuals over 9 months of age.
• Insect Repellent: Use insect repellent containing DEET.  Follow the instructions on the product label.  
• Protective Clothing: Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes when outdoors, especially during peak mosquito biting times.
• Mosquito Nets: Use mosquito nets (bed nets), especially if sleeping outdoors or in unscreened accommodations. Permethrin-treated nets offer additional protection.
• Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites: Regularly empty and clean containers that can hold water, such as flowerpots, tires, buckets, and pet water dishes, around your home to prevent mosquito breeding.
• Seek Medical Attention: If you develop symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, or jaundice, especially after being in a risk area, seek medical attention immediately. Early diagnosis and supportive care can improve outcomes.
• International Travel Requirements: Travelers entering Colombia from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission may be required to present an international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever, as per the International Health Regulations. It is advisable to check the latest requirements before traveling. Similarly, travelers departing from Colombia to certain countries may also need proof of vaccination.

The current health emergency underscores the importance of vaccination and preventive measures to mitigate the risk of yellow fever transmission in Colombia. Residents and travelers in affected areas should adhere to the recommendations of health authorities to protect themselves and prevent further spread of the virus.

Photos © Loren Moss

“Sustainable tourism is a powerful tool for transformation in the territories, generating opportunities and conditions for peace. For this reason, Switzerland supports this chain in Colombia, a country with extraordinary natural and cultural wealth,” said the Swiss ambassador, Eric Mayoraz.

The program impacts 13 destinations in the departments of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, Atlántico, Magdalena, La Guajira, Sucre, Cundinamarca, Quindío, Casanare, Antioquia, Huila, Putumayo, Meta, Boyacá, Guaviare and Caquetá, promoting the sustainability and competitiveness of the sector. To date, the achievements have been significant: more than 1,000 jobs generated and retained in four key destinations (Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, and Quindío), 357 companies with an 81% increase in revenues, and a 400% increase in tourist spending in these territories.

In environmental management, 80 companies have adopted good practices, and 55 people have been trained in methodologies for competitive and sustainable destinations, consolidating an innovative model of cooperation and development. “Swisscontact strengthens tourism in Colombia with a market approach, ensuring that destinations develop an offer aligned with demand and access tools and knowledge that position them as benchmarks in sustainability and competitiveness,” said Claudia Sepúlveda, general coordinator of the Colombia Más Competitiva program.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, in 2024, Colombia received approximately 6.7 million tourists, 8.5% more than the previous year. A growing percentage of these visitors are looking for ecotourism and responsible tourism experiences, which represents a unique opportunity to strengthen the competitiveness of destinations and incorporate sustainability criteria.

“Tourism in Colombia not only depends on its natural wealth, but also on its ability to generate value in the markets. We are promoting the necessary conditions for regions to transform their potential into real opportunities for growth and international projection,” concluded Enrique Maruri, director of Swisscontact Colombia.
Swisscontact at ANATO 2025: sharing experiences and learnings.

In the ANATO 2025 Tourism Showcase, the Colombia Más Competitiva program will present its main learnings together with local partners, who will share the impact of Swiss cooperation in their territories. One of the most relevant milestones is the strengthening of the Network of Destination Managers, whose official presentation will take place in April.

As part of ANATO’s academic program, Swisscontact, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Santa Marta and Magdalena, organized the panel “Territorial perspectives in the competitive management of sustainable tourism” at the stand of Magdalena, a special guest destination in 2025. Entrepreneurs and members of the Network of Managers will discuss governance, sustainability, and product development.

Swisscontact’s destination management methodology has articulated the private sector around the creation and marketing of highly competitive tourism experiences. As a result, nature and culture products have been developed, such as the Safari Llanero in Casanare, Macondo Natural in Magdalena, and San Agustín Enigmático in Huila, among others. In addition, entrepreneurs and managers have received support to implement strategies aligned with the standards of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

This impact has been possible thanks to public-private articulation at the local, regional, and national levels. Swisscontact has promoted the creation of networks, cluster strategies, and territorial governance models, making progress in destinations such as La Guajira, Quindío, Choachí-Ubaque in Cundinamarca and Atlántico. In addition, it will facilitate an exchange between representatives of the 13 destinations of the Network of Managers to identify trends and improve the marketing of tourism products.

According to Enrique Maruri, director of Swisscontact Colombia, “Nature tourism is one of the great bets of Swiss cooperation in Colombia, and we believe in its potential to promote sustainable development. At Swisscontact, we continue to work on the structuring of collective management models that strengthen tourism products and services, always in partnership with the private sector. Our goal is to consolidate ourselves as a benchmark in consulting for the competitiveness and sustainability of tourism in the country.”

For Swisscontact, it is also key to continue strengthening responsible tourism through innovative methodologies and strategic alliances with actors such as the GSTC, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT), the National Tourism Fund (FONTUR), the Colombian Association of Responsible Tourism (ACOTUR) and Chambers of Commerce throughout the country, said Enrique.

Photo credit: ANATO.

The closing of this transaction occurred after the fulfillment of the following conditions:

• The determination made by the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce of Colombia states that the transaction does not generate an undue restriction of competition, so it does not merit objection or conditioning, thus ending the administrative pre-evaluation process.
• The execution of the corresponding amendment to the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Contract CPO-09 on February 5, 2025, by the National Hydrocarbons Agency, Repsol, and Ecopetrol, formalized the transfer of the 45% of the participation interest that Repsol had in that agreement in favor of Ecopetrol.

The CPO-09 block is located in the department of Meta, Colombia, in the municipalities of Villavicencio, Acacias, Guamal, Castilla la Nueva, San Martín, Lejanias, El Dorado, El Castillo, and Granada.

This transaction strengthens Ecopetrol’s position in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in the Llanos Orientales basin. It consolidates its presence in the region as the operator of the Akacias, Chichimene, Castilla, Apiay, Suria, Libertad—Reforma, Pachaquiaro, and Caño Sur fields, among others. Likewise, it reaffirms its commitment to the country’s energy future, highlighting the importance of hydrocarbons as a key resource for developing energy transition projects, ensuring the country’s energy sustainability.

Photo credit: Ecopetrol.

Photo: Hummingbird feeding in Bogotá’s Botanical Garden. (Credit: Jared Wade)

Colombia has now ranked first in the world every year since the inception of Global Big Day in 2015 with the exception of 2021.

Each year, Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, one of the world’s foremost institutions for birding and bird research, invites people from around the world to observe and record birds for a day. The goal is to gather important data on the distribution and abundance of birds on its eBird platform, which is crucial for conservation and scientific research.

By ranking first yet again, Colombia recorded more species than nearby biodiversity hotspots, such as Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, as well as global leaders like India.

Carmen Caballero, president of national investment promotion agency ProColombia, celebrated the honor.

“The outstanding performance of Colombia reflects our commitment to preserve natural wealth and consolidates our position as a world leader in birdwatching,” said Caballero. “We invite nature lovers to discover the magic of our landscapes and the extraordinary biodiversity of Colombia.”

The Colombian departments that stood out in the count were Antioquia, Meta, Valle del Cauca, Putumayo, and Cundinamarca, demonstrating the importance of biological diversity and conservation.

For this years’ event, ProColombia joined the US government’s USAID “Destination Nature” program to boost the bird count under the slogan “Gossip flies because birds have much to tell us,” a strategy that encouraged participation from both experts and enthusiasts during the event.

“It is excellent news to have once again ranked first in the number of bird species spotted during Global Big Day,” said Julián Guerrero, director of the USAID Destination Nature Program. “This not only shows that more people are joining these citizen science days supported by the program but also shows that Colombians are becoming aware of the importance of conserving our biodiversity and natural environments.”