Cesar Vence
Executive Director, U.S.-Colombia Business Council
Senior Director, Americas, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Published
June 24, 2025
The U.S.-Colombia strategic partnership has deepened during the last 25 years following the implementation of initiatives like Plan Colombia and the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA).
In fact, since the CTPA entered into force in 2012, bilateral trade has more than doubled, and the U.S. is now Colombia’s largest investor and trading partner. Today, there are over 600 U.S. firms operating in Colombia, supporting more than 107,000 direct jobs and mutual prosperity in both the U.S. and Colombia.
That’s why this week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its Colombian counterpart organization the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) concluded the VII U.S.-Colombia Business Dialogue, an annual convening of U.S. and Colombian business leaders and government officials committed to strengthening bilateral trade and investment.
This annual policy dialogue is organized by the U.S.-Colombia Business Council (USCBC), established in 2017 by the U.S. Chamber, in partnership with ANDI, to foster a robust bilateral economic relationship by exploring issues hindering greater commercial cooperation and advancing solutions to resolve them.
The VII U.S.-Colombia Business Dialogue was held in June in Washington, D.C.
John Murphy, U.S. Chamber Senior Vice President and Head of International, delivers remarks on the state of U.S.-Colombia trade relations.
Neil Herrington, U.S. Chamber Senior Vice President for the Americas, speaks during a panel lead by Allison Thomas, Deputy Administrator for Trade Policy and Geographic Affairs, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cesar Vence, U.S. Chamber Executive Director of the U.S.-Colombia Business Council and Senior Director for the Americas, facilitated the Q&A session for USCBC members.
Deep Dive into the VII U.S.-Colombia Business Dialogue
The two-day forum, taking place June 23 – 24 in Washington, D.C., featured the participation of top business leaders from both countries, who heralded the benefits of the CTPA as a catalyst for enhanced market access and shared economic growth. The Dialogue also highlighted the importance of a strong rule of law for attracting investment, and the continued need for security cooperation between the U.S. and Colombia, already rooted in decades of partnership on counterterrorism and counternarcotics.
The policy dialogue featured government perspectives from key interlocuters in the U.S.-Colombia relationship, including Colombia’s Ambassador to the United States Daniel Garcia-Peña, as well as representatives from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
On the periphery of the Business Dialogue, the U.S. Chamber’s U.S.-Colombia Business Council also participated in numerous meetings on Capitol Hill with Members of Congress from both parties and their staff. These conversations reinforced the importance of strong bipartisan support for the U.S.-Colombia relationship, highlighted the mutually beneficial trade ties, and opportunities to address trade barriers for U.S. firms in Colombia, with the goal of enhancing trade and fostering innovation, especially in the health, energy, digital, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors.
While the U.S. and Colombia have achieved a mutually beneficial trade and investment partnership, there is still more to be done, especially amid China’s growing influence in the region.
Through the USCBC and its flagship annual U.S.-Colombia Business Dialogue, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce remains dedicated to preserving shared economic gains made by both our countries and to address challenges cooperatively. The USCBC intends to build on our constructive dialogue at engagements later this year, including the Fall World Bank IMF Meetings and on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
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About the authors
Megan Bridges
Megan Bridges is Senior Manager for the Americas at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and supports the U.S.-Colombia Business Council, U.S.-Mexico Economic Council, U.S.-Canada Business Initiative, and Coalition for the Rule of Law in Global Markets.
Cesar Vence
Cesar A. Vence is a Senior Director for the Americas at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and serves as Executive Director of the U.S.-Colombia Business Council (USCBC).
