Canada offers big chance for Colombian shoes

09/03/2011
Colombia’s vice-minister for business development, Ricardo Duarte Duarte, has said that exports from his country to Canada could multiply by five over a period of eight years if a proposed free trade agreement between the two countries goes ahead.

Mr Duarte, the principal architect of the agreement on the Colombian side, has told Bogotá-based media that this figure, originally suggested by Colombia’s export promotions agency, was achievable, but that a series of partnerships between private companies and the public sector would be the best way to achieve it.

He went on to say that the footwear industry was one of a group of sectors that are in the best position to take advantage if the agreement goes through.