Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

I want to begin by addressing my very special thanks to President Juan Manuel Santos Caldéron for his presence, which greatly honours us, in this Economic Seminar. I also want to congratulate the Colombian and Portuguese Investment and External Trade Agencies for the organization of this excellent initiative that promoted the debate between entrepreneurs, whose presence I most heartily greet.

Colombia is a country with a role that stands out in the History of this Continent. The New World, Latin America, the success in democratization and the consolidation of economic development are fully represented here, in this territorial area and in this community of citizens.

Colombia is nowadays an example of a democracy and of a successful economy. I have followed up, with great interest, the efforts carried out to fully integrate Colombia in the Latin American economy and, within a wider field, in the global economy.

Colombia is changing, due to its own merit, to the vigour of its leaders and the strength of its people, into a component of stability in this region of the world. It is also nowadays one of the examples of success in Southern American economies. The international community follows with great hope the economic, social, political and cultural developments in this area of the globe.

Colombia has thus naturally become a destination for the Portuguese corporations that search opportunities for internationalization, often establishing partnerships with local companies – such as the case we have just witnessed.

Portugal, in its turn, is a modern and open economy, has excellent infrastructures, privileged natural conditions and a highly qualified human capital. Following the crisis that has ravaged the World and Europe, our country has been making an important effort in macroeconomic and financial adjustment. It has also carried out a significant programme of structural reforms, in order to increase flexibility and the competitive capabilities of its economy.

In addition, Portugal is a member of the European Union and – thanks to its History – has special relationships with Portuguese speaking countries spread over several continents. The gigantic European market – 500 million consumers – is thus joined, in its privileged area of relationship, by this universe that comprises 250 million people.

Colombia already has a significant presence of Portuguese companies. We are, at any rate, in a stage of relationship between our two economies where many companies look towards Colombia as a very attractive destination for their investments and strategic ventures.

The potential is enormous and I hope that my visit contributes towards the deepening of our bilateral relationship in the economic, trading and cultural fields. For this exact reason, I cannot but underline the opportunity that this Seminar and Entrepreneurial Encounters represent for the strengthening of the economic links between our two countries. To start with, by providing a widening of the contacts between Portuguese and Colombian entrepreneurs and highly responsible individualities. And, even more, by contributing to a greater awareness of what is currently being carried out in Colombia and in Portugal.

I follow up expectantly and with confidence the strategic ventures that some of the Portuguese companies with greater skills, capabilities and resources are achieving in Colombia. It is a fair venture which we all expect will be successful. It enlarges the number of countries of our size with which we have established privileged economic relations and strengthens the connections between Europe and Latin America.

The fact that the Colombian economy has economic indicators at the level of those that Portugal presented in a relatively recent stage results in Portuguese companies being able to understand and anticipate several types of developments that may be expected in Colombia. As such, I believe that Portuguese companies may provide a particular contribution for the strengthening of the Colombian productive fabric.

The companies that accompanied me are the best and most dynamic that Portugal represents, and are able to show successful experiences in internationalization in several different parts of the world. I could speak out as to the individual quality of each of the companies present here, but I know that their representatives will have already done so or will do it better than I can.

I will only speak in general terms of the sectors represented here and how they may contribute, with their experience and know how, towards the modernization currently being carried out in Colombia and to facilitate a deeper and more diversified liaison with Portugal, with the European Union and with the countries that, in the various continents, speak in Portuguese and with whom we keep special relations of proximity.

Represented here are companies in the distribution and financial services sectors, whose external investments always configure strategic ventures that usually last for many years and serve as anchors for new projects.

In their turn, Portuguese companies associated to the building of infrastructures also have a strong reputation of competence in global terms, and are accustomed to understand the investment needs of countries that are in similar stages of development and growth to that of the Colombian economy.

But these are not the only sectors. We also have companies here that act in several fields of industrial production, in tourism, in new technologies, in scientific agriculture, in consultancy, in architecture. And I recall, in this particular, the international 2012 prize for world interior decoration, awarded to the BOG Hotel in Bogotá, whose author was Portuguese architect Nini Andrade e Silva.

The Portuguese economy has nowadays a strong scientific and technological content – software applications, information technologies, robotics and communication, pharmaceuticals, biotechnologies, renewable energies. The participation of Portuguese companies in these areas in the global market renders them qualified and desirable partners for Colombian entities.

Colombia, in its turn, very approximate in economic characteristics and stage of development, has the ambition to find strategic partners that confer on it greater critical mass and greater competitiveness in its approach to third markets. Although geographically far apart, each in its side of the World, I know that, together, we can create added value!

I underline, by the way, the recent signature of the air traffic agreement between our two countries, which will ease the setting up of mobility conditions required for greater entrepreneurial and tourism dynamics.

But I also want to refer the presence of companies linked to the so called traditional sectors of Portuguese economy, from cork to textiles, to shoes and agricultural food products. These are companies that became very notably modernized and present nowadays a high level of international prestige and competitiveness.

All of them are companies that are a good showcase of Portugal in this new millennium. A modern and welcoming country, with a vast cultural heritage.

An economy that favours foreign investment and new technologies and that presents, notwithstanding its size, multiple centres of technological and scientific excellence and entrepreneurial creativity.

I am certain that the work carried out in this Seminar will provide a decisive contribution in order that Colombian and Portuguese entrepreneurs may identify and exploit interests and opportunities. On site, materially, for mutual benefit.

More than good intentions or words of circumstance, the moment is to act. I count on you.

Thank you very much.