El Gobierno le habla a la Patria: Chocó - Del encuentro a los resultados
Colombians, I told you before that X2 would be much more than the setting for a simple meeting. Today I can tell you something more. The meeting produced results. President de la Espriella's government summoned some of the country's most important business leaders and put a very specific question on the table. What can we do to make Chocó stop waiting and start moving forward? And the answers began to arrive. The first one has a name that the people of Chocó know very well and that will soon become one of the symbols of this new stage, the Quito boardwalk. The decision has been made. Government and business leaders will work together to carry out this strategic project. to reclaim and transform the riverfront, generate employment, strengthen tourism, and open new spaces for commerce and the development of the city. And there is something even more important: reconstruction must also reach those who lost their source of income. Therefore, through Impulsa, Colombina, Bancolombia and Tecnoglas committed 5 billion pesos in seed capital for entrepreneurs in Chocó affected by the earthquake. Also included is a huge proposal: to seriously study the feasibility of an interoceanic corridor or canal through the Chocó region. To that end, a serious technical feasibility study is announced . environmental, social, economic and financial factors to determine if the geostrategic position of the department can make it a connecting axis between the Atlantic and the Pacific, protecting the environment and guaranteeing the participation of the communities. And there is another debt that Colombia owes to Chocó that it can no longer wait for: connectivity. That is why the government proposed structuring an investment package of one trillion pesos in road infrastructure, half through works for taxes and the other half through contributions and investments from the private sector, which is in addition to the 1.4 million pesos that businessmen had previously donated. These are resources and projections that can begin to change the geography of opportunities in this beautiful department. The plan includes six strategic projects. The first, Kibdó Ánimas Nóvita. The second, San José del Palmar, Cairo. The third, Ismina Puerto Meluc, the fourth the Aldarién Way, the fifth, Tutunendo and Chó. and the sixth, the strengthening of the Bahía Solano airport. Projects for the development of Chocó, for tourism in Chocó, for the farmers of Chocó, to boost investment and increase employment. Projects that translate into concrete actions and opportunities that for years were so far away. And we cannot talk about opportunities if we do not recognize the wealth that already exists in the territory. The government will move forward with structuring a special mining and tax regime for the department. One that seeks to facilitate the formalization of small and medium-sized miners and responsibly develop the potential of gold, copper and platinum that exists in the territory. And there is an even more powerful idea: that the Chocó should not limit itself to extracting its wealth. The plan involves structuring a plant to process and transform minerals within the department itself, thus generating added value, employment, and a productive chain that brings greater wealth to the communities. All of this under environmental, social and traceability standards and strengthening the fight against illegal mining and the criminal structures that benefit from it. We also talked about something so basic that it should be obvious in any territory of Colombia: energy. 20.2 billion pesos are being managed to guarantee the continuity of the department's electric company and another 20 billion to strengthen its sustainability. And together with multilateral banks, work is underway to co-finance the pre-investment necessary to modernize the electrical infrastructure and strengthen energy generation. In addition, the Ministry of Finance will evaluate a special regime of incentives and tax benefits to attract private investment and generate formal employment in sectors such as tourism, infrastructure, agribusiness, responsible mining, logistics and services. The transformation we aim to achieve must translate into opportunities. That's why 100 scholarships were agreed upon for young people from Chocó, 50 granted by Grupo Nutresa and another 50 by Nobank. The "miracle towns" tourism strategy will also be promoted , starting with Nuquí through an alliance between the Santo Domingo Foundation and Fontur. And in the Chocuano Pacific region , ISA Iván Colombia will invest 3 billion pesos to promote solar energy solutions in communities with limited access to reliable service. There will also be something significant and enormous for a producer: having someone to buy what they produce. Olímpica has been working with the Kipdó Chamber of Commerce to open a direct marketing channel for Chocua products, including food and handicrafts. And Nubank will join a banking and financial inclusion strategy for young people, entrepreneurs, small merchants, producers and communities with low banking coverage. It was even agreed to move forward with the purchase of biche production made by entrepreneurs from the department of Chocó through the wholesale center of Antioquia. All of this has a common thread. Rebuild, yes, but transform too. Rebuilding a house, but also opening a road. To build a seawall, but also to create a job. Bring energy, but also bring investment. to provide a scholarship, but also to open a market and ensure that the wealth of Chocó ceases to be a promise and can finally become well-being for the people of Chocó. That's what happened in Kipdo. Government and business leaders sitting face to face talking about resources, projects, infrastructure, education, energy, tourism, mining, entrepreneurship, but above all talking about the future, because a tragedy can destroy a lot, but it can also awaken the decision to change what has remained the same for a very long time . And that decision today has agreements, has commitments, has names, has projects, and has a territory that is saying, "Here we are, now let's do it." Because Colombia believes in the capacity of the Chocó department and this government is willing not only to believe in it, but also to support it, to invest, to connect, to open opportunities, because every day we are closer to the Miracle Homeland.