The Financial Times today announces the launch of its special report ‘Colombia 2009,’ which will be published in all global editions of the paper on Thursday 24th September 2009.

In recent years, Colombia has enhanced its reputation for careful economic management that has been built up over decades even in the face of an often dire security environment. Its recovery from a recession in 1998-1999 has been aided by a significant improvement in security, for which many credit tough measures taken by President Alvaro Uribe. This progress stands seriously challenged as the global downturn begins to affect the Colombian economy and the government and military have become embroiled in a number of scandals. This special FT report will explore the economic health of the country and the key issues sure to have a bearing on whether President Uribe can successfully engineer a third term, including the oil sector, emeralds, the FARC, demobilisation, cocaine, Medellin, tourism, mining and flowers.

Chrystia Freeland, US Managing Editor, said: “After enjoying one of the highest approval ratings of any president, President Uribe is facing a tougher year amid the global economic downturn, recent scandals and shrinking influence. This timely FT report will take an in-depth look at many of the factors that will shape Colombia’s political and economic future and Mr. Uribe’s prospects for successfully securing a third term.”

The report will include the following features:

·A look at Colombia’s general economic standing and how policymakers intend to address it

·An examination of President Alvaro Uribe’s efforts to pass a reelection bill that would allow him to run for a third term

·The role investor-friendly policies play in luring foreign investments to the country’s oil sector

·A fresh evaluation of the guerrilla organization Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) after having suffered its worst year in decades

·An analysis of the country’s efforts to demobilize right and leftwing paramilitary groups

·A look at Plan Colombia, the US legislation intended to curb cocaine production in the Republic and stop northward trafficking of the drug

·An up-to-date examination of Colombia’s tourism industry, which has seen growth in recent years despite it remaining Latin America’s least visited country

For information on advertising opportunities, please contact John Moncure at +212-641-6362 or via email at john.moncure@ft.com. Please note that the advertising copy deadline is 9 September 2009.

For more information on this and other Financial Times special reports, go to www.ft.com/reports.

For further information, please contact:

Kristina Eriksson, Financial Times, +44 20 7873 4961 or kristina.eriksson@ft.com