The Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Tourism) hosted the first Foro de Reencuentro Económico CELAC–África at the Ágora Convention Center in Bogotá on March 20, 2026. The event, held as part of a broader high-level forum, aimed to strengthen commercial and investment ties between Colombia and the African continent. During the proceedings, officials identified various sectors for potential growth, including jewelry, agricultural machinery, construction materials, software, digital marketing, and food and beverages.

Minister of Trade Diana Marcela Morales Rojas stated that the forum represents a strategic shift toward trade equity and shared economic opportunities. Over the past four years, the Colombian government has sought to diversify its market reach through economic diplomacy, trade missions, and the establishment of new logistical routes to Africa. Data from 2025 indicates that these efforts have resulted in a significant increase in non-mining and non-energy exports to the continent.

“We aim for this forum to mark the beginning of a new stage: one of strategic cooperation, trade with equity, and the construction of shared opportunities.” — Diana Marcela Morales Rojas, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Tourism.

According to ministry figures, non-mining exports to Africa reached $296.5 million USD in 2025, representing a 112% increase compared to 2024. In terms of volume, these shipments totaled 209,273 tons, a 226.8% rise over the previous year. These goods accounted for 46.6% of Colombia’s total exports to the continent, signaling a shift toward a more diversified export basket. Key products driving this growth include coffee, bananas, machinery, paper, and apparel.

The number of Colombian firms participating in this trade has also expanded. In 2025, 165 companies exported non-mining goods to Africa with values exceeding $10,000 USD, up from 145 companies in 2024. This 15.2% growth in participating firms underscores a transition toward higher value-added exports. Vice President Francia Márquez Mina noted that the economies of Latin America and Africa are complementary, offering potential for the development of new value chains and the utilization of strategic mineral reserves necessary for the global energy transition.

A central component of the forum was a business matchmaking event held on March 17 and 18. Preliminary results from the session show expected trade operations totaling $16 million USD. Nicolás Mejía, Vice President of Exports at ProColombia, characterized the results as a validation of the current market diversification plan. Since the beginning of the current administration, the government has implemented the Estrategia África 2022–2026 to strengthen socioeconomic relations with the region.

Through commercial intelligence analysis, the Colombian government has prioritized nine specific markets for its diplomatic and economic deployment: South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria. These nations serve as the primary focus for the continued implementation of the 2022–2026 strategy.

Above photo: MinCIT/Ricardo Báez.

Cities like Bogotá, Cali, and Medellín lead the ranking of preferred destinations for those seeking high-quality medical and aesthetic services at competitive prices. Based on figures compiled by Cali’s city mayor’s office, between January and May 2024, Bogotá had received 3,951 medical tourists, followed by Cali with 3,331, and Medellín with 2,170. Other cities such as Barranquilla (553) and Cartagena (336) are also part of this growing phenomenon.

During the 44th Vitrina Turística de Anato Valle del Cauca (the region whose capital is Cali) announced a strategic plan to position itself as Colombia’s hub for medical tourism by 2027. The goal: attract 20% of all international patients coming to Colombia for medical treatment, a feasible target given current trends. Of the 3,331 medical tourists that Cali welcomed in the aforementioned period, 2,730 of whom were foreigners and 601 Colombian nationals living abroad. The majority of these visitors came from the United States, followed by the Netherlands, Panama, Ecuador, and Canada.

Cali boasts 3,912 registered healthcare providers (according to the REPS — Special Registry of Health Service Providers), ensuring a robust infrastructure to meet international demand. This strong institutional capacity has positioned Cali as a national and global leader in medical tourism.

Most international patients in Medellín come from the United States, Caribbean countries, Panama, the Netherlands, Spain, and Canada.

Meanwhile, Medellín broke records in 2024, serving 23,323 international patients (an average of 64 people per day), according to the Medellín Health City Cluster report by the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia. This reflects a steady 14% annual growth since 2010. The city offers services in specialties such as ophthalmology, plastic surgery, cardiology, orthopedics, and gastroenterology, with total medical service revenues reaching $64.5 billion COP last year. The broader economic impact of medical tourism in Medellín, including lodging, transportation, and other spending, was around $45.5 billion COP.

“As a plastic surgeon, it is very gratifying to receive patients from abroad who come to experience Colombia and enjoy the benefits of our healthcare system. Every year, we successfully perform facial and body surgeries on patients who wish to improve some aesthetic aspects. The main challenge we face is the length of stay in Colombia. When it is less than 15 days, it makes follow-up body surgeries difficult. To this end, we have optimized the logistics of performing surgeries and the follow-up period so that we can guarantee maximum safety for our patients during the process,” said Dr. Tomás Feria Romero, a plastic surgeon based in Medellín, who is bilingual and equipped to perform complex aesthetic and reconstructive procedures.

Dr. Tomás Feria Romero, a plastic surgeon based in Medellín. (Photo credit: Dr. Tomás Feria)

“Surgery planning often begins six months or more in advance, through video call consultations, where we advise our patients on every detail to ensure an optimal experience. It is interesting to see how patients increasingly seek us out, not only for the benefit of the currency exchange but for the results we obtain and the Latin perspective of our results,” he explained.

Colombia’s position is further validated by global data. According to the 2024 report by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), Colombia ranks as the 13th country with the most plastic surgeons worldwide. Remarkably, 30% of procedures performed in Colombia are for foreign patients, the third-highest percentage globally, surpassed only by Tunisia and the UAE. The country ranks 10th globally in breast surgeries (85,920 procedures, representing 2.2% of the global total) and 9th in body & extremities aesthetic surgeries.

This momentum also makes Colombia an ideal destination for foreign investment in the healthcare sector. According to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2025, Fundación Valle del Lili in Cali ranks 162nd globally, and Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá ranks 244th. A total of 60 Colombian hospitals were included in the study. Additionally, Colombia stood out in the Latam Business Conference 2024 ranking of Best Hospitals in Latin America, which featured 11 Colombian institutions, including Fundación Santa Fe with a score of 94.4, making it the second-best hospital in Latin America among 36 evaluated institutions.

Multinational insurer SURA chose Rionegro, in the suburbs of Medellín, for Vaxthera, its groundbreaking new vaccine production facility, led by the renowned researcher, and University of Wisconsin Molecular Virologist Dr. Jorge Osorio.

Photo credit: Loren Moss.

Colombia’s regulatory strength further supports this growth. Its national regulatory agency, INVIMA, is recognized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) as a Level IV authority. Additionally, INVIMA’s Physicochemical Laboratory for Pharmaceuticals and Other Technologies is on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of prequalified laboratories. The lab is certified for meeting Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) standards for analyzing medicines, cosmetics, dietary supplements, biologics, herbal products, and household hygiene products.

Colombia’s rise in medical tourism is a growing phenomenon that can be attributed to its advanced technology, world-class medical professionals, and lower costs compared to other countries, all without compromising international quality standards.

Multinational insurer SURA chose Rionegro, in the suburbs of Medellín, for its groundbreaking new vaccine production facility, led by the renowned researcher, and University of Wisconsin Molecular Virologist Dr. Jorge Osorio.

Headline photo: A patient preparing for an MRI procedure, courtesy Fundación San Vicente, Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia

]]> https://www.financecolombia.com/during-visit-by-president-duque-to-white-house-us-upgrades-colombia-to-major-non-nato-ally-status/ Sat, 12 Mar 2022 23:48:01 +0000 https://www.financecolombia.com/?p=24168 After White House meetings between Colombian President Ivan Duque and US President Joe Biden, the White House issued a statement confirming that Colombia will be designated a “Major Non-NATO Ally,” (MNNA) meaning that the two countries will collaborate even more closely on defense and security issues.

Biden also used the visit to announce that the US will donate another two million COVID vaccines, with some earmarked for the refugee population.

“The United States intends to designate Colombia as a Major Non-NATO Ally in recognition of our uniquely close cooperation in the hemisphere, Colombia’s significant contributions as a NATO Global Partner, its commitment to NATO’s mission to promote democratic values and commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes, and its rejection of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable aggression against Ukraine,” said the two administrations in a joint statement.

Nuclear Submarine Sent To Colombian Waters

Less than two weeks ago, Colombia hosted a US nuclear submarine in its Caribbean waters to participate in joint military interoperability exercises, after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov threatened to send Russian forces to Venezuela or Cuba. Colombia insists that Russian troops are already present in Venezuela and expelled Russian diplomats in a spy scandal in 2020.

What is a “Major Non NATO Ally?”

While MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments to the designated country.

Privileges resulting from MNNA designation under 22 U.S.C. §2321k :

• Eligible for loans of material, supplies, or equipment for cooperative research, development, testing, or evaluation purposes.

• Eligible as a location for U.S.-owned War Reserve Stockpiles to be placed on its territory outside of U.S. military facilities.

• Can enter into agreements with the United States for the cooperative furnishing of training on a bilateral or multilateral basis, if the financial arrangements are reciprocal and provide for reimbursement of all U.S. direct costs.

• Eligible, to the maximum extent feasible, for priority delivery of Excess Defense Articles  transferred under section 516 of the Foreign Assistance Act (if located on the southern or south-eastern flank of NATO).

• Eligible for consideration to purchase depleted uranium ammunition.

Privileges resulting from MNNA designation under 10 U.S.C. §2350a :

• Eligible to enter into an MOU or other formal agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense for the purpose of conducting cooperative research and development projects on defense equipment and munitions.

• Allows firms of a MNNA, as with NATO countries, to bid on contracts for maintenance, repair or overhaul of U.S. Department of Defense equipment outside the United States.

• Allows funding to procure explosives detection devices and other counter-terrorism research and development projects under the auspices of the Department of State’s Technical Support Working Group .

Currently 17 countries are designated as MNNAs under 22 U.S.C. §2321k  and 10 U.S.C. §2350a :

• Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Tunisia,

• In addition, Pub. L. 107–228  provides Taiwan shall be treated as an MNNA, without formal designation as such.

In addition to Colombia, the Biden administration granted the status to Qatar on the Arabian peninsula.

Above photo: An aerial port bow view of the nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine USS OHIO SSBN-726 underway (US National Archives)

This temporary action is necessary to ensure the health and safety of dogs imported into the United States and to protect the public’s health against the reintroduction of canine rabies virus variant (dog rabies) into the United States.

Dr. Emily Pieracci of the CDC told US News Outlet NPR that during 2020, the CDC discovered over 450 cases of dogs arriving to the US from certain countries with false vaccination certificates, prompting the agency to issue the emergency order.

Last year, the CDC identified a significant increase compared with the previous 2 years in the number of imported dogs that were denied entry into the United States from high-risk countries. Due to reduced flight schedules, dogs denied entry are facing longer wait times to be returned to their country of departure, leading to illness and even death in some cases.

CDC estimates 6% of all dogs imported into the United States arrive from countries at high risk for dog rabies. Inadequately vaccinated dogs are not protected against rabies and are a public health threat. Rabies is fatal in both humans and animals, and the importation of even one rabid dog could result in transmission to humans, pets, and wildlife. Dog rabies has been eliminated from the United States since 2007. This suspension will protect the health and safety of imported dogs by preventing importations of dogs inadequately vaccinated against rabies and will protect the public’s health against the reintroduction of dog rabies.

CDC has coordinated with other federal agencies and entities as necessary to implement this action, and CDC will review this suspension periodically.

Dogs from high-risk countries may be imported only with CDC’s advance written approval (CDC Dog Import Permit), including dogs imported from a country NOT at high risk if the dogs have been in a high-risk country during the previous 6 months. Such approvals may be granted on a limited case-by-case basis at CDC’s discretion. If your request for advance approval to import a dog is denied, CDC’s written denial will constitute final agency action. No appeals will be allowed.

To request advance written approval, you must follow the instructions at How to Apply for a CDC Dog Import Permit and send an email to CDC at CDCanimalimports@cdc.gov, at least 30 business days (6 weeks) before you intend to enter the United States. Requests cannot be made at the port of entry upon arrival into the United States. Dogs that arrive from high-risk countries without advance written approval from CDC will be denied entry and returned to the country of departure at the importer’s expense.

All dogs from high-risk countries granted advance written approval (CDC Dog Import Permit) must enter the United States at a port of entry with a live animal care facility with a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)-issued Facilities Information and Resource Management System (FIRMS) code. At the time of publication of the FRN, the only approved facility is located at the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City. CDC will update the list of approved ports of entry at this website as they become available.

Restricted Countries:

Americas & Caribbean

• Belize, Bolivia, Brazil
• Colombia, Cuba
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador, El Salvador
• Guatemala, Guyana
• Haiti, Honduras
• Nicaragua
• Peru
• Suriname
• Venezuela

Asia, the Middle East, Europe

• Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan
• Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Brunei
• Cambodia, China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan)
• Georgia
• India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan
• Laos, Lebanon
• Malaysia, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma)
• Nepal, North Korea
• Oman
• Pakistan, Philippines
• Qatar
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria
• Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Turkey, Turkmenistan
• Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan
• Vietnam
• Yemen

Africa

• Algeria, Angola
• Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi
• Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti
• Egypt (Temporary importation suspension of dogs from Egypt until further notice)
• Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini (Swaziland), Ethiopia
• Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau
• Kenya
• Lesotho, Liberia, Libya
• Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique
• Namibia, Niger, Nigeria
• Republic of the Congo, Rwanda
• Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan
• Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Togo, Tunisia
• Uganda
• Western Sahara
• Zambia, Zimbabwe

If a country or political unit is not listed above, it is not considered high risk for importing dog rabies into the United States. Therefore, if the country is not listed, CDC strongly recommends a rabies vaccine certificate, but it is not required to enter the United States.

If you want to learn more about how the United States determines risk for importing dog rabies, visit CDC’s Rabies Branch. To learn your risk for rabies as a traveler, see Travelers’ Health.