Press Release - THE WORLD BANK SHARES THE JOY OF THE COLOMBIAN PEOPLE ON THE LIBERATION OF 15 HOSTAGES

Bogota, July 2, 2008 – The World Bank joins the Colombian people in sharing the joy brought about by the liberation of the Colombians: Jose Miguel Arteaga, Juan Carlos Bermeo, Ingrid Betancourt, Julio Buitrago, Armando Castellanos, John Jairo Duran, Armando Florez, Raimundo Malagon, Jose Ricardo Marulanda, William Perez, Vaney Rodriguez,  Erasmo Romero, and the Americans Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell. 

"The successful operation commanded by Colombia’s military forces is without doubt a cause for happiness and hope for thousands of families and Colombian citizens that aspire to a life without violence, in which freedom and respect for human rights prevail.", said Axel van Trotsenburg, Director of the World Bank for Colombia and Mexico. "On behalf of the Bank I wish to express my solidarity to the people that remain captive and their families, and would like to reiterate to President Alvaro Uribe´s government our compromise to fully support your efforts to achieve a definitive consolidation of the peace process", he added.

During these last years, Colombia has managed to keep increasing its Gross National Product (GNP): according to numbers from the National Statistical Administrative Department (DANE), the Colombian economy grew by 7.62%during 2007. + More

Colombia at Glace - Basic Data and Statistics