Colombia willing to sign free trade deal with Turkey
World Bulletin, Istanbul
Colombia willing to sign free trade deal with Turkey
The vice president called on Turkish businessmen to invest in Colombia.
8 January 2012
Colombia’s vice president expressed on Saturday willingness to see more Turkish investors in his country.
Angelino Garzon said he hoped Turkey and Colombia would have better and firmer relations.
"We think that the more Turkish investors come to Colombia, the better it will be for our relations, trade and business world," Garzon said during Turkey-Colombia Trade and Investment Forum in Istanbul.
Garzon said Colombia grew 5.5 percent last year, and expected to grow around the same percentage in 2012.
"We are trying to reduce poverty, and we have achieved to cut down unemployment in Colombia which used to be around 20 percent," Garzon said.
Garzon said Colombia earned 55 billion USD from exports last year, and exports were only around 28 billion USD ten years ago.
The vice president hoped to sign a free trade agreement with Turkey, and called on Turkish businessmen to invest in Colombia.
Garzon said Colombia had rich natural resources, and made great progress in biofuel, adding that he believed cooperation would be a win-win process for both Turkey and Colombia.
