The Government announced the award of the lease of the Free Zmaseca zone, located in the Valle del Cauca, that for the first time in the country incorporates in its operation model the participation of the popular economy sector.
The decision was adopted in compliance with the instruction of President Gustavo Petro and “ends a series of failed processes” that had left at risk the continuity of this strategic enclave for national productive activity.
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The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Diana Morales, He explained that the panorama was uncertain when assuming the portfolio, since six processes had been recorded without success.
“Upon assuming the ministry, we find a challenging panorama: six failed award processes for the Free Zmaseca zone. After countless attempts without receiving any offer, which seriously compromised its continuity, we achieved, under the direction of President Petro, to reverse this critical situation in the last process”He said.
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The awarded model generates concrete opportunities for business, micronegocios, MSMEs, the associative, cooperative and ventures of the popular economy
Courtesy
Morales added that the change occurred thanks to an integral redesign of the awarding conditions. “Thanks to an exhaustive model verification, multiple inter -institutional meetings, strategic visits to the free zone and an articulated work of the entire technical team, we managed to structure a significantly more attractive proposal. The result is overwhelming: today we celebrate the award for the lease of the free zone, which not only ensures the continuity of a strategic area for the country, but, for the first time in history, establishes mandatory conditions that guarantee the participation of the popular economy sector. This is an achievement that reflects that we are complying with Colombians”He said.
The awarded model introduces an approach aimed at opening space to micro, small and medium enterprises, to the associative and cooperative sectoras well as popular micronegocios and ventures, in order to integrate them into national and international value chains.
The initiative seeks to promote productive chains that strengthen business fabric and generate new growth opportunities, in line with the provisions of the National Development Plan “Colombia World Power of Life”.
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The Mincomercio proposes to create special permanent free zones to integrate productive units of the popular economy.
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The award process had preventive accompaniment of the control bodies. As reported by the Ministry of Commerce, The recommendations of the Comptroller General of the Republic and the State Council were acceptedwith the purpose of ensuring transparency and legal certainty at all stages.
With this decision, the Executive raises a free zone model that seeks to integrate innovation, regional development and productive inclusion. The Government stressed that the measure is part of the strategy of strengthening these areas as engines of economic growth and internationalization.
Minister Morales insisted that the incorporation of the popular economy within the structure of the Palmaseca Free Zone constitutes a precedent for the design of future policies in the sector. The Government stressed that the objective is for free zones to work not only as spaces for attracting investment and foreign tradebut also as economic justice platforms that involve the different productive actors of the country.
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Diana K. Rodríguez T.
Portfolio journalist
