Colombia predicts $10 billion in foreign investment from Europe this year-minister

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia expects to attract $10 billion in foreign investment from Europe this year, especially in renewable energy, Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla said during a visit to London.

"We are talking about investments for $10 billion to start, which will help us settle important and strategic projects," Bonilla told journalists alongside British officials.

"Ecopetrol is at a key moment to make strategic alliances in the effort to build green hydrogen," he said, referring to Colombia's majority state-owned energy company and adding that there are conditions for investment in hydrocarbons to move into renewable energy.

Foreign direct investment in Colombia was $17.4 billion in 2023, up 1.53% from the year before.

"There is interest in investing in Colombia," said the UK's ambassador to Colombia George Hodgson. "There are British tourists interested in going to Colombia to discover the country and we want to support and encourage that through events like this."

The British government also has capacity to invest in projects in Colombia, Hodgson said.

(Reporting by Nelson Bocanegra; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb)