Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will be in Colombia today and tomorrow as part of a visit to Latin America that will also take him to Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
He will be hosted by Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez and will meet with Maria Ximena Lombana Villalba, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism; and Diego Mesa Puyo, Minister of Energy and Mining. On these occasions, Mr. Riester will emphasize France's desire to strengthen economic relations with Colombia as that country is the leading destination for French investments in the Andean region and France is its top foreign employer, with 250 branches of French companies operating locally.
The Minister and Diego Mesa Puyo will sign a letter of intent to strengthen our cooperation on green hydrogen.
Mr. Riester will be accompanied by a delegation of some 20 companies promoting French expertise on infrastructure, renewable energies, health, innovation and sustainable cities. He will have a meeting with French Tech Bogota as part of a visit to the C Embrende incubator build on the model of Station F, thanks to French cooperation on innovation. He will also visit the site of the L'Oréal Vague facility which reflects the dynamism of French companies in Colombia and their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and support for hiring women.
Finally, he will meet with Father Francisco de Roux, president of the Truth Commission, with whom he will discuss the progress of the peace process in Colombia and the challenges that remain to be met as the country marks the fifth anniversary of the peace agreement this year.