Barranquilla issues $350M sustainable bonds and named Colombia's alternate government seat

Barranquilla became the first Colombian city to place sustainable bonds on the international market, raising US$350 million in five‑year senior notes. The sale was oversubscribed more than 3.7 times, with 67 investors from the United States, Europe and the Middle East offering US$1.2 billion. The city will use the proceeds to refinance short‑term debt and fund projects such as the Mallorquín wetland restoration, offshore wind, water‑management upgrades, housing improvement and public‑market modernization. The issuance was rated Baa3 (Moody’s) and BB (Fitch) and the sustainable‑bond framework received an SQS1 “Excellent” rating from Moody’s. Mayor Alejandro Char stressed that the operation “is not new debt, it replaces a costly short‑term obligation with a cheaper, longer‑term one.”

In the political sphere, President‑elect Abelardo De la Espriella announced that Barranquilla will serve as an alternate seat of the national government, part of a decentralisation drive to move key decision‑making out of Bogotá. He said, “Se acabó el olvido, se acabó la desidia y se acabó el abandono centralista,” promising that the city will host regular presidential activities and that other regional capitals such as Medellín and Cali may also host government functions. The move is intended to bring the executive closer to regional populations and improve coordination of infrastructure and development projects.