economy
May 3, 2026
Colombia advances in sustainable development, but gaps and inequality between municipalities set the pace
Currently, the country adds municipalities in high levels of sustainability. Photo: iStock
TL;DR
- Colombia has seen an increase in municipalities achieving high levels of sustainable development performance.
- 57% of Colombian municipalities are still at intermediate performance levels, indicating slow progress and persistent territorial inequality.
- Rural areas, PDET municipalities, and ZOMAC regions face greater challenges in development due to institutional capacity, service access, and opportunity generation limitations.
- Private sector activity is a key driver for better territorial performance, impacting poverty reduction, public service access, industrial development, and economic growth.
- Significant progress has been observed in education (student return to classrooms, educational retention, approval rates) and early childhood health.
- The report highlights successful local progress in municipalities like Caracolí and Ciénaga, demonstrating the effectiveness of local strategies.