WTO in the Caribbean: Alberto Madero Highlights Global Opportunities for Colombia

Colombia has the potential to turn global uncertainty into a strategic advantage. At the “WTO Chair in the Caribbean” executive education program, our partner Alberto Madero outlined how the country can attract investment and expand its role in both U.S. and Chinese markets. He emphasized that Colombia can seize opportunities created by high U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods and by the ongoing reorganization of global supply chains.

From August 20 to 22, 2025, Universidad del Norte, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and Universidad de los Andes hosted the WTO Chair in the Caribbean in Barranquilla, an academic event marking the 30th anniversary of the WTO. Over three days, more than 120 participants — including academics, business leaders, students, and public officials — examined the major challenges and opportunities facing international trade in an environment of rising protectionism, logistical disruptions, and geopolitical tensions.

The program concluded with a keynote by Alberto Madero, founding partner of Madero Law and then Dean of the School of Law, Political Science, and International Relations at Universidad del Norte. His presentation, From Risks to Opportunities: Colombia Facing U.S. Protectionism and Its Trade War with China, described how U.S. protectionism, its trade conflict with China, and the paralysis of the WTO’s dispute settlement system have created a landscape filled with risks but also with strategic opportunities for Colombia.

Madero underscored that the reconfiguration of global supply chains opens an unprecedented window of opportunity for Colombia. According to estimates from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), positioning Colombia as a regional nearshoring hub could increase exports by more than USD 2.5 billion in sectors such as agribusiness, business process outsourcing (BPO), and light manufacturing — primarily to the U.S.

Nearshoring, the practice of relocating production closer to major consumer markets, has gained relevance amid U.S. protectionism and growing instability in strategic maritime straits such as Suez, Hormuz, and Panama. These tensions increase shipping costs and encourage shorter, more resilient supply chains. Colombia’s geographic location, with access to both oceans and direct connectivity to the Panama Canal, provides a competitive advantage for becoming a logistics hub and attracting high-value-added investments.

Madero noted that U.S. tariffs on Chinese and other foreign goods — which have reached as high as 45% in some sectors and average around 15.8% overall — present an opportunity for Colombian exporters. Products such as coffee, fruits, flowers, processed foods, and other agribusiness goods could gain a stronger foothold in the U.S. market by competing against goods subject to higher tariffs.

He also emphasized that opportunities extend beyond the U.S. market. “In a scenario of geopolitical tensions, Colombia must identify strategic niches to attract investment. At the same time, it can position itself as a key supplier to China — for example, in agribusiness, plastics, and food — as that country reorganizes its supply chains,” Madero explained.

China’s ongoing supply chain adjustments, driven by its trade war with Washington, are creating demand for reliable providers of agricultural, industrial, and food products. Colombia, which has already made significant advances in exports of coffee, avocados, and beef, can expand its presence in that market.

Madero stressed that capturing these opportunities requires joint action from both the public and private sectors. He highlighted several priorities:

• Strengthening legal certainty and regulatory stability through stability contracts, modernization of the free trade zone regime, and mechanisms to prevent double taxation.
• Investing in logistics infrastructure, including ports, road networks, and customs digitalization.
• Developing bilingual and specialized talent to attract high-value service industries.

He also recommended mapping the export basket exposed to tariffs, adapting contracts and Incoterms to share tariff risks between buyers and sellers, and diversifying markets to reduce dependency on the United States.

“The challenge is to turn uncertainty into strategic advantage. Colombia has great potential to export and attract investment; now it must advance — with vision and discipline — public and private initiatives to make it a reality,” Madero concluded.

With recognized expertise in arbitration and international trade, and as a former negotiator of Colombia’s free trade agreements, Alberto Madero has advised companies, trade associations, and governments on internationalization strategies. His work spans the structuring of investment frameworks, leveraging trade agreements, and defending national interests in multilateral forums such as the WTO.

The WTO Chair in the Caribbean, promoted by Alberto Madero during his tenure as Dean at Universidad del Norte, has become a leading platform for the study of international trade in Colombia and Latin America. This initiative has positioned both Universidad del Norte and our partner as key references in analyzing global trade challenges and identifying opportunities for Colombia in the global economy.