International trade is undergoing a profound transformation. The reorganization of the global supply chains, technological advancements, and the search for more reliable suppliers They are redefining the global economy.
Today, the competitiveness of countries is no longer measured solely by the size of their market or their natural resources, but by their ability to integrate into these new dynamics and attract the businesses that will define the economy of the coming years.
In that context, Colombia has favorable conditions to strengthen its participation in the new global economyIts strategic location, network of trade agreements, availability of talent, agro-industrial wealth, and proximity to markets such as the United States represent relevant advantages within the new map of international trade. Converting these attributes into higher levels of investment, exports, and employment requires a long-term strategy that transcends government terms. and strengthen the link between the State and the productive sector.
The figures help to put that potential into perspective. While world trade has increased twelvefold over the last 35 years, Colombian exports have grown sevenfold. In 2025, the country's per capita exports reached more than USD 940, compared to a world average of around USD 3.200 and a Latin American average of approximately USD 2.300.Progressively approaching these levels would represent a greater capacity to attract investment, expand the export base, diversify production, and strengthen the productivity of the economy.
The challenge is no longer simply about exporting more, but about participating in sectors with greater sophistication, technological content, and added value. Global competition to attract investment is shifting towards the businesses of the future. data centers, electric vehicle manufacturing and components, hydrogen development and its industrial ecosystem, high-value agribusiness and cross-border tourismThese activities concentrate investment, technology, innovation and talent, while strengthening the country's export capacity and competitiveness.
The next government, which will take office on August 7, 2026, will inherit an international environment marked by new opportunities for trade and investment. Vice President José Manuel Restrepo's track record leading the Ministries of Trade, Industry and Tourism, and Finance and Public Credit brings extensive experience in economic policy, competitiveness, and internationalization to this discussion. In this context, a strong commitment to foreign trade could contribute to attract the businesses of the future, expand the export base, boost investment, and strengthen the country's economic growth.
The experience accumulated by Araújo Ibarra over more than five decades accompanying internationalization processes allows us to identify some strategic fronts to consolidate this agenda.
The first is To consolidate foreign trade as a national objective and as a cross-cutting axis of economic policyThis implies explicitly incorporating it into the National Development Plan and strengthening coordination between the entities responsible for economic policy, infrastructure, logistics, production, international promotion and trade facilitation.
A second front consists of Strengthen the collaboration between the public and private sectorsSpaces like the Joint Foreign Trade Commission can evolve into permanent coordination mechanisms, with defined agendas, monitoring indicators, and active participation from regions, chambers of commerce, investment promotion agencies, binational chambers, and business associations. This collaboration would facilitate connecting national priorities with the productive opportunities of each territory through regional export and internationalization plans.
International competition to attract investment makes it necessary Strengthen the country's capacity to develop new productive clusters, attract anchor companies, and consolidate local supply chainsTo achieve this, it will be essential to strengthen coordination between ProColombia, the Regional Investment Promotion Agencies, and territorial actors, prioritizing sectors with high potential for growth and value creation.
Similarly, it will be important modernize instruments that have been key to business internationalization, such as Free Trade Zones, the Vallejo Plan and International Trading CompaniesIts evolution must respond to the new dynamics of digital commerce, knowledge-based services and global value chains, through more agile processes, greater interoperability and broader access for businesses.
Finally, a A modern foreign trade agenda requires strengthening the country's economic intelligence.Having a specialized observatory that monitors international trends, identifies best practices, and analyzes the strategies implemented by other economies would allow us to anticipate opportunities, support decision-making, and strengthen the design of public policies.
The current international situation presents an opportunity that is unlikely to remain open indefinitely. Colombia's ability to capitalize on it will depend on consolidating a long-term strategy that strengthens its export capacity, expands its internationalized business base, and attracts the businesses that are currently redefining the global economy. In an increasingly competitive environment, foreign trade can be established as a strategic policy to boost productivity, investment, and the country's sustainable economic development.
Read the article prepared by our president, Martin Gustavo Ibarra, for the Business Mail magazine of AmCham Colombia: Foreign trade: the next government's agenda to compete in the new global economy – Business Mail Digital
