Colombia's Caribbean Region Pushes Development Agenda Ahead of 2024 Election

Think tanks Fundesarrollo, Cesore and Atarraya have launched the "Caribe 2030" roadmap, aiming to place the Caribbean region’s challenges at the centre of Colombia’s national development agenda. The plan highlights that the region holds about 22 % of the country’s population but accounts for 41 % of its multidimensional poverty. It proposes eleven strategic priorities, including security and organised‑crime fighting, poverty reduction, education, health, employment, energy, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and transparency.

The document comes as Colombia prepares for a presidential transition on 7 August. Analysts warn the incoming administration will inherit a fiscal deficit projected at 6.5‑7 % of GDP and public debt around 61 % of GDP. The new government will need to combine fiscal discipline, smarter public spending and private‑sector partnership to boost investment, improve infrastructure and address regional inequality. As one of the authors of the roadmap stated, “The country’s development agenda cannot be built with its back turned to the challenges and opportunities of the Colombian Caribbean.”