From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Colombian president opens trade and innovation office in Jerusalem
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Colombia officially opens a trade and innovation office in Jerusalem, with the South American country’s President Ivan Duque on hand for the ceremony.
“Colombia is a true friend of Israel. Governments make alliances, but it is the people who build bridges. Today, we add another significant layer to the deepening ties between Israel and Colombia,” says Science and Technology Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen, the highest-ranking Israeli official in attendance.
She predicts the facility’s opening will lead to increased cooperation between Jerusalem and Bogota in the fields of science and technology.
“I am certain that Colombia’s official entry into the flourishing Israeli innovation ecosystem will benefit both countries and their tech sectors,” she says.
Duque, who is in Israel on a three-day visit, announced the planned office in 2020 following the ratification of a free-trade agreement between Israel and Colombia.
Brazil and Honduras have also opened trade offices in Jerusalem, and several other countries also have trade and/or defense offices in the city. Israel has touted the offices as diplomatic achievements, though they fell short of hopes for a flood of countries opening full embassies in Jerusalem after the US made the move in 2018.
The Times of Israel Community.