Bogotá honors departing UK ambassador George Hodgson after four years of cooperation

Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán of Bogotá held a farewell ceremony for British ambassador George Hodgson at the Plaza Distrital de Mercado La Concordia, serving the traditional ajiaco soup. The event highlighted the bilateral partnership in clean mobility, climate action, public education, culture and urban development.

Key outcomes of the cooperation included the UCAP CAI program to improve energy efficiency and gender equity in the city’s transport operators, the district’s receipt of the 2025 Earthshot Prize for clean air, and a British Council agreement running to 2027 to expand English language teaching in public schools. British firms also backed major infrastructure projects such as Metro Line 1, the El Campín sports complex and the Science, Technology and Innovation District. The ambassador praised the 19 market plazas managed by the Instituto para la Economía Social, which handle over 12,000 tonnes of food each month.

The ceremony underscored the strengthening of Colombia‑UK diplomatic ties and the city’s aim to attract foreign investment as part of a broader national agenda.