Colombia was expected to grow at a strong rate after bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the country’s GDP only grew 1% during 2023, according to the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), and during the third quarter of the year it decreased by 0.3%. Inflation reached a peak of 13.34% in March 2023 yet had dropped to 8.35% by February 2024. The outlook and general feel of the economy has revolved around uncertainty since the election of Gustavo Petro, yet the country has achieved notable milestones of late, including the implementation of tax reform, progress in energy transition, and the re-vitalization of key sectors such as tourism. Through this over 100-page publication, The Business Year invites you to explore how Colombia’s business landscape, despite challenges, has demonstrated resilience through technology and the application of sustainability-focused tools. It features interviews with leaders from every major sector of the economy and a range of articles and analysis.

To understand how the investment environment has evolved over recent months in Mexico, our team conducted a year-long, on-the-ground research operation that included interviews with over 150 business leaders and officials defining trends across every major sector of the economy. It is an election year in Mexico, meaning the often turbulent Obrador administration is drawing to a close. In contrast with the nervousness and uncertainty we witnessed ahead of his inauguration, our team notes a particular sense of ease around the upcoming elections as CEOs and investors are more familiarized with Morena, the party founded by the incumbent president. Overall, 2024 is expected to see an unusual general continuity of business during an election year thanks to the fact that both of the main presidential candidates are not expected to announce disruptive macroeconomic policies. Through this 220-page publication, featuring interviews with top business leaders from every major sector of the economy, as well as a range of articles and analysis, we present a comprehensive snapshot of the Mexican economy and the investment environment at this crucial period.

Through this 148-page publication, The Business Year invites you to see how Colombia’s business landscape, despite challenges, is driving forward sustainability through the application of the ESG toolkit and positioning itself as a welcome destination for investment.

Colombia is undergoing a period of generation-marking adversity. And saying this of Colombia is a tall order given a tumultuous yesterday of armed conflict and internal mass displacement. Today's struggles are of a different nature, however. President Duque has had to give simultaneous management to the COVID-19 health crisis, the Venezuelan refugee crisis, and an expanding fiscal deficit situation that lost the country its investment-grade rating. All this against a backdrop of mass social discontent manifested by record-setting civilian protest. Considering this concoction of challenges, Colombian business leaders have demonstrated the exceptional traits of resilience that characterize this country's people. This edition of The Business Year: Colombia is dedicated to them. This 188-page publication aims to paint a picture of Colombia's current economic condition, examining each major sector through exclusive interviews, as well as news and analysis, from from finance to energy and transport to tourism.

The twin effects of the Saudi-Russian oil price war and the global COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020 provided an extraordinary challenge for the already embattled Duque administration. What was meant to be a year of stable growth is virtually guaranteed to become the country's first recession since 1999. However, the quick and targeted government response at the onset of the pandemic and Colombia's strong macroeconomic fundamentals have most projections in agreement that Colombia will weather the storm among the best in the region, giving way to a strong recovery period. The Business Year's country-specific publications, sometimes featuring over 150 face-to-face interviews, are among the most comprehensive annual economic publications available internationally. This 172-page publication covers finance, energy, mining, industry, security, IT, transport, infrastructure, real estate, agriculture, health, tourism, and entertainment. The report features dozens of interviews, including:

This 2024 edition marks a significant return for The Business Year in the Dominican Republic after a five-year hiatus. Our last edition was published in 2019, just before the global pandemic disrupted economies worldwide. Returning to the Dominican Republic in 2024, we set out to shed light on the dynamic developments taking place across the country—beyond the well-known tourism sector—to reveal a thriving, diversified economy that many global observers may not have fully explored. In this 120-page edition, we bring you exclusive insights from the minds shaping the country’s future. Through detailed analysis and expert perspectives, we aim to provide our readers with a thorough understanding of the local business environment, highlighting the key trends and developments that are setting the stage for the next phase of growth.

Angola’s economy stood at the crossroads of transformation throughout 2023, with officials confronting the challenges that have swept the globe of late, including inflationary pressure, while attempting to draw up plans for more sustainable development. The country’s fortunes remain tightly intwined with those of the oil and gas sector, which continues to represent a sizeable portion of GDP. This renders the country susceptible to the undulations of global oil prices, something that will need to change longer term. It is against this backdrop that we teamed up with AIPEX and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Angola (CCIA) to produce this 170-page publication featuring interviews with business leaders from every major sector of the economy, as well as a range of articles and analysis.

In this 172-page Panama 2023 publication, The Business Year’s research team had the chance to experience Panama at a very interesting moment in its history. Panama had a tough pandemic, its economy exposed to the ebbs and flows of global trade more than most because of the country’s eponymous canal.

The sixth annual edition of The Business Year: Kuwait 2023 comes out at the peak of economic reawakening, as the country’s pandemic restrictions and regulations have lessened, and the local market begins to breathe once again. Thanks to the participation and support of over 130 of the country’s business and governmental leaders, this 192-page publication offers a thorough macroeconomic analysis of the Kuwaiti market. Their insight allowed us to paint an accurate picture of the local economic landscape, supported by the increasing improvements in the name of Kuwait Vision 2035, digital transformation, and further empowerment of the private sector’s role in the country’s marketplace.

After a robust recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, Colombia's economic growth is returning to a low potential. Medium-term growth prospects depend on maintaining Colombia's strong macroeconomic framework and enacting reforms to create a business-friendly environment which can attract high levels of investment. Implementing fiscal consolidation and adhering to fiscal rules would prevent rising financing costs and safeguard debt sustainability. Reforms to raise tax revenues and improve spending efficiency are needed to create fiscal space for social and productive investment needs. Enhancing the investment climate requires reducing regulatory uncertainties and tackling corruption. Creating connected transport infrastructure, strengthening subnational government capacities and improving equalisation mechanisms in the fiscal transfer system would foster balanced development across the country. Addressing informality, gender gaps, and improving education quality would boost productivity and reduce social disparities. Investing in climate adaptation, renewable energy, and establishing stable regulatory frameworks are key for a climate-resilient economy and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. SPECIAL FEATURES: RAISING PRODUCTIVITY; REDUCING LABOUR INFORMALITY; REGIONAL CONVERGENCE