Cali, Colombia strengthens ties with the United Kingdom to attract investment in technology, manufacturing and sustainability
Cali, 14th October 2025. From 13 to 17 October, a business mission organised by Invest Pacific, in conjunction with the Municipality of Cali (via its Secretariat of Economic Development), will be held in London (England) and Belfast (Northern Ireland), promoting Cali as a destination of investment, tourism and business to British firms in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences and sustainability.
This mission is carried out in coordination with the Municipality of Cali, through its Secretariat of Economic Development, and is supported by ProColombia and the Colombian Embassy in the UK.
As part of the visit, on Friday 17 October a meeting will be held with the Caleños who live in the UK, to share regional progress, identify opportunities, and gather allies for the international promotion of Cali. This convocation is supported by Icesi University, Autónoma de Occidente University and Javeriana Cali University, acting as partners in connecting with the diaspora and promoting Caleño talent abroad.
At that event, those from Valle del Cauca who reside in the UK will have the chance to learn firsthand about the “Cali Home4Tech” narrative, a strategy recently launched by the Municipality of Cali, the Cali Chamber of Commerce and Invest Pacific, which seeks to position the city as a technology hub, based on the sustained growth of this sector in the city and its potential as a destination for such investments.
Mauricio Concha, Director of Investment Promotion at Invest Pacific and leader of the mission, stated: “The United Kingdom is a strategic partner for Valle del Cauca given its global investment tradition, high innovation standards, and its diversified trade relations following Brexit. Cali and Valle del Cauca are natural destinations for UK firms seeking sustainable production platforms and preferential access to markets in the Americas and Asia.”
The United Kingdom is today among the key European partners of Valle del Cauca, with a robust and growing business presence. In the department, there are currently 16 British firms, engaging in 24 active investment projects that total USD 375 million and generate 635 formal quality jobs. These investments are concentrated in sectors such as manufacturing, global services, agroindustry, logistics, and renewable energy.
Over 60% of that investment is concentrated in Cali and its metropolitan area, reinforcing the city as the main point of entry for European capital in southwestern Colombia.
For more than half a century, firms such as Unilever and Reckitt have found in Cali and Valle del Cauca an ideal environment to produce, innovate and export, supporting the city’s transformation towards a more diversified, sustainable and internationally connected economy.
In terms of foreign trade, in 2024 Valle del Cauca exported USD 8 million to the UK (nearly double its 2018 figure), primarily in unroasted coffee, sugar, hass avocado, powdered chillies and textiles. In the same year, the region recorded USD 18 million in UK-based imports, largely machinery, industrial equipment and agricultural inputs.
Invest Pacific invites the business community to closely monitor the outcomes of this mission, which aims to open new opportunities for investment and collaboration, consolidating Cali’s role as a biodiverse, technological, and global city.
