WITA > Events > The U.S. Colombia FTA at 10 Years

Add to Calendar 2022/05/10 2:00 PM 2022/05/10 4:30 PM America/New_York The U.S. Colombia FTA at 10 Years https://www.wita.org/events/us-colombia-fta-10-years/ Pavillion Ronald Reagan Building
In-person event, Past event, WITA event

The U.S. Colombia FTA at 10 Years

Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM (EST)
Pavillion Ronald Reagan Building Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center | 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004

The U.S. – Colombia Free Trade Agreement entered into force on May 15, 2012. WITA, in partnership with the Embassy and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia, invites you to join us with a distinguished group of speakers to look back at the last 10 years of U.S.- Colombia trade and relations, and to look forward to the future of the relationship between the U.S. and this important trading partner.

Email danez@wita.org to learn about sponsorship opportunities!

These sessions will also be available to view online.

Event Agenda and Speakers
Agenda subject to modification

1:30 PM – Doors Open to the Public

2:00 PM – Welcoming Remarks

  • Kenneth Levinson, WITA Executive Director

2:05 PM – 200 Years of Bilateral Relations

  • Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno, Ambassador of Colombia to the United States

2:10 PM – Taking Advantage of FTA Opportunities for the Agribusiness Sector in Both Countries

  • Jorge Enrique Bedoya, President, Colombian Farmers Society (SAC)
  • Gonzalo Moreno Gómez, Executive President, National Poultry and Egg Producers Federation (FENAVI)
  • Augusto Solano, President, Association of Flower Exporters (Asocolflores)
  • Jim Sutter, CEO, U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC)
  • Maria Zieba, Assistant Vice President, International Affairs, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC)
  • Moderator: Kenneth Smith Ramos, Partner, Agon; Former Chief Negotiator for the USMCA; Former Director of the Trade Office at the Embassy of Mexico

2:40 PM – Successful Stories of Trade and Investment

  • Arrow Augerot, Director, International Policy, Americas, Amazon
  • Fabrizio Opertti, Manager, Integration and Trade Sector, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
  • Luis Fernando Restrepo, Chief Executive Officer, Crystal SAS
  • Davis Warlick, Executive Vice President, Parkdale Mills
  • Moderator: Flavia Santoro, President, Procolombia

3:15 PM – The Roadmap: Negotiation and Approval by Congress

  • Representative Kevin Brady, Ranking Member, House Committee on Ways and Means
  • Hernando José Gómez, President, Asobancaria, the Banking and Financial Institutions Association of Colombia; former Chief Colombian Negotiator of the U.S.- Colombia Free Trade Agreement; and former Colombian Ambassador to the WTO
  • Everett Eissenstat, Chair of North America and Global Trade Lead, Edelman Global Advisory; former Lead U.S. Negotiator of the U.S–Colombia Free Trade Agreement; former Chief Trade Counsel, Senate Finance Committee 
  • Moderator: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Senior Advisor, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; Former Member of the U.S. House Representatives

3:50 PM – Assessment and Outlook of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Partnership

  • María Ximena Lombana, Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Government of Colombia
  • Arun Venkataraman, Assistant Secretary for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service
  • Introductory Remarks: Eric Farnsworth, Vice President and head of the Washington, DC office of the Council of the Americas and Americas Society

4:20 PM – Envisioning the Next Ten Years of Bilateral Relations

  • Marta Lucía Ramírez, Vice President, Colombia and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Colombia
  • Introductory Remarks: Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty, Chairman, McLarty Associates

4:30 PM – Event Conclusion

Thank you to our Sponsors!