After facing a major shock due to the decrease in oil prices in the past years, the Colombian economy is likely to experience a modest recovery in growth in 2018, along with a decrease in the current account deficit. Rising oil prices and stable spending have given the central government breathing room to reach its fiscal target for 2017. However, most analysts agree that Colombia’s government needs to implement additional reforms to comply with the 2011 fiscal rule.

The Inter-American Dialogue is pleased to host Mauricio Cárdenas, Colombia’s Minister of Finance and Public Credit, for an open discussion on Colombia’s economic outlook and the challenges facing the economy as his tenure comes to a close. The conversation will address key issues such as the costs of the Colombian peace process, progress in critical economic sectors like oil, and the recent discoveries of mismanagement of Colombia’s peace fund.

Follow this event on Twitter at #ColombiaEconomía and @The_Dialogue.

Speaker

Mauricio Cárdenas

Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia (@MauricioCard)

Moderator

Lisa Viscidi

Program Director, Energy, Climate Change & Extractive Industries, Inter-American Dialogue (@lviscidi)

Mauricio Cárdenas has served as Minister of Finance and Public Credit since September 2012. Previously, he served as the Minister of Mines and Energy. Minister Cárdenas has held several leadership positions in the Colombian government including Director of the National Planning Department, Minister of Transport and Minister of Economic Development. He holds a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley.