The challenge of industrial diversification in Colombia

This chapter assesses Colombia’s industrial policy and its implications for regional development. It is divided into three main sections. The first focuses on Colombia’s macroeconomic trends and structural policies in the context of economic diversification, taking stock of prior efforts. The second section describes the role of regions and geography in the diversification strategy. A number of issues important for regional development are explored, including cities, inequality and multi-level governance. Section three describes Colombia’s industrial policy and the current diversification strategy, taking into account the role of different types of regions. The chapter concludes with a number of recommendations for national authorities with respect to the current strategy of industrial diversification.