In the package of recommendations that contains the document of connection of the government, which assumes next Sunday, appear the creation of the Ministry of Industry and a law for the sector. In this way, it would add another portfolio to two new ones already announced: that of Equality and that of Peace; Safety and Coexistence.
(Colombian economy: what is in green and what is in red, according to the joint).
The creation of this Ministry heads the list of specific initiatives of the government plan for the next four years “which should be managed as a priority for the productive sector.”
Other proposals have to do with incorporating knowledge-intensive and environmentally sustainable export goods and services into global value chains.
Likewise, the importance of a sustainable productive transformation with the participation of the mypime and the popular economy.
The sectoral analysis establishes which investment programs or projects of the Duque Government should continue but with a change of approach. He mentions the strengthening of the regional commissions for competitiveness and innovation, the productivity factories and the CREEce program that supports mypimes.
(Details by sectors of the Duque – Petro junction).
For its part, to manage in the next six months the junction commission speaks of the formation of a mission of reindustrialization and the new development model.
THE OPINIONS
María Claudia Lacouture, director of AmCham Colombia and former Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, said “I have believed that the Ministry has the production factory that is the industries and their commercialization that occurs through trade. These two must go together to be successful. Separating trade policy from industry could move away from the purpose that has been working for years to promote business development and make companies more productive to generate more resources and employment.
“More than a Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Tourism should be created”, Lacouture indicated, while warning that we must not lose sight of the importance of austerity and the reduction of expenses in times of fiscal need.
In her turn, Rosmery Quintero, executive president of Acopi, pointed out that it is relevant that the new government wants to give more weight to the industry.
“There is talk of reindustrialization because precisely one of the concerns we have had is deindustrialization, one of the situations that does not allow us to increase exports,” he assured.
In addition, the union leader noted that, if created, the new Ministry must promote the industry from the regions.
For his part, Camilo Rodríguez, president of the Colombian Chamber of Clothing, said that he welcomes the initiative because the current portfolio has become the “ministry of imports.”
In apparel, only US$430 million were exported in the first half of the year, while imports totaled US$1.4 billion.
“This is positive news for the manufacturing sectors, for job creation. We hope that this will help the reactivation of these labor-intensive sectors”, he indicated.
CONSTANZA GOMEZ GUASCA
BRIEFCASE
