The Western Free Zone and its master plan that includes a investment of 33,600 million pesos for the next 10 years, and an estimated investment of 500 million dollars for the next 30 years received the endorsement of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism at the end of 2021, ratifying the extension of the industrial park.
Rosa Maria Gamarramanager of the Western Free Zone, explained the plans and the legal stability of the regime in Colombia, encouraging foreign investors to continue creating development and growth for the country and participation in strategies such as nearshoring.
(Also read: Extension for 30 years: La Cayena Free Trade Zone will invest $42.5 billion).
How does the renewal take place and what is the plan for the future?
This extension granted by the Industry and commerce ministry to the Free Zones is given after investment letters with the plan that we have for 10 years and 30 years.
The free trade zone they must meet a series of requirements established by law and that is the same for all companies that want to set up, we have fully complied with the commitments and what it means, we have already been in operation for 13 years and have generated more than 184,000 million pesos in investment hand in hand with our users and for the infrastructure of the park and more than 7,800 direct and indirect jobs.
By 2022, we have the project of having the largest food industry cluster in the region
What we did for the extension was that we established an investment and job creation commitment with our industrial users, the primary investment goal for the next ten years is 33,600 million pesos and estimated investment commitments of 500 million. dollars, leveraged by our users, which is excellent news not only for Mosquera and the region, but also for the country, because we encourage the attraction of investment and a very important part in technology and innovation.
(Also read: Bogotá Free Zone launches real estate private equity fund).
How much do you estimate the generation of jobs?
It is close to 25,000 direct jobs and 50,000 indirect jobs in the next 10 years, which is very important especially given the situation we are experiencing in the country and for the reactivation and recovery of the economy.
We hope that with the investment and with the support of the users we can have a higher growth, since in 2021 we closed with a growth of the customs operation of 71% compared to 2020 and with the projection of bringing more alliances and investment mainly in the technology sector although it is not the only sector that interests us.
What other sectors will they focus on?
We are recognized for having 13 economic sectors to the interior and the pharmaceutical, health sciences, chemicals, logistics, technology, food, plastics, cosmetics, metalworking, construction, precious metals and others stand out, we want investments not only in technology but also in plastics we have projection and food we hope to be a cluster in 30 years and there are already many interested in starting their operations and it also happens in services and for obvious reasons in health sciences.
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How have you been with the vaccination?
We have promoted the issue, we are supported by the mayor’s office and the industrialists in this process and conferences, although we do not participate in distribution logistics if we are supporting immunization and our firms in the pharmaceutical sector.
(Also read: Cementos Argos will triple export capacity from Cartagena).
What is coming this year in foreign investment?
We have the commitment that more than 30 companies They reaffirmed their intention to continue with us, we will have the first mega data center with investment in technology and with job possibilities, likewise, hand in hand with our users, we hope to have a more advanced industrial plant in the use of recycled plastics and also the cluster project largest food industry in the region and from where we are exporting.
How are you working on the nearshoring issue?
We are with a internationalization plan that we have carried out internally with our allies, we have the support and advice of associations such as Amcham, Invest in Bogotá, ProColombia and the Ministry of Commerce itself. What we did is that in a year we established a roadmap based on the sectors that we are interested in attracting to the country.
Nearshoring projects are already being worked on in the free zones, we have already done it, especially with North American companies that are interested in relocating to our free zone, and we have presented the advantages of the regime we have in meetings and with visits.
We are leading a program to be promoters of the free regime as well and we seek to highlight the benefits and advantages that we have not only for local entrepreneurs but with a special focus on foreign companies to encourage reinvestment.
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