Colombia has formally applied to join the China-based New Development Bank, deepening Latin America’s growing alignment with Beijing as regional leaders react to U.S. policy shifts under President Donald Trump.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro concluded his visit to China with a stop in Shanghai, where he met Dilma Rousseff, the former Brazilian president and current head of the New Development Bank (NDB). The institution was established by BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—as an alternative to Western-dominated lenders such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Colombia’s request to join the NDB marks a notable geopolitical shift. Petro announced that his government plans to purchase $512 million in shares in the bank, signaling its long-term financial and strategic commitment to the institution.
“We see the New Development Bank as a platform to transform our infrastructure and unlock Colombia’s potential as a strategic bridge between Asia and Latin America,” Petro told reporters on Saturday. He highlighted a proposed 120-kilometer canal or railway linking Colombia’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts as a project that could benefit from NDB financing. “It would place us at the very heart of intercontinental trade,” he said.
Since its founding in 2014, the NDB has approved more than $40 billion in loans for 122 infrastructure projects, ranging from sanitation to clean energy and transport, according to Rousseff.
The move comes amid a broader regional realignment. As the Trump administration enacts stricter immigration rules, withdraws foreign aid, and increases tariffs, Latin American nations have increasingly turned toward China for investment and partnership.
Analysts say Colombia’s application reflects the changing dynamics of global development finance and underlines Beijing’s expanding influence in the Western Hemisphere. If accepted, Colombia would become one of the few Latin American nations formally tied to the BRICS bank, further consolidating a trend of economic diversification away from Washington.
Austria has won the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. JJ claimed the trophy with his emotional pop-opera ballad Wasted Love, scoring 426 points in the grand final held in Basel, Switzerland.
Germany and the UK have announced a major new defense partnership to develop a long-range precision missile, part of a broader push for greater European military independence from the United States under president Donald Trump.
Two helicopters collided in mid-air near Eura airport in south-west Finland, killing all five people on board.
Five people were taken to hospital with stab wounds and later arrested after a violent incident at a music event in Thamesmead, southeast London.
At least 27 people have died after powerful storms swept across the U.S. Midwest and South, with Kentucky among the hardest-hit states.
Austria has won the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. JJ claimed the trophy with his emotional pop-opera ballad Wasted Love, scoring 426 points in the grand final held in Basel, Switzerland.
Germany and the UK have announced a major new defense partnership to develop a long-range precision missile, part of a broader push for greater European military independence from the United States under president Donald Trump.
Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merzhas expressed skepticism about banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying such a move could do more harm than good to democratic values.
Two helicopters collided in mid-air near Eura airport in south-west Finland, killing all five people on board.
Five people were taken to hospital with stab wounds and later arrested after a violent incident at a music event in Thamesmead, southeast London.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace at 10:00 local time today to explore security guarantees, territorial integrity and a possible ceasefire.
EU approves 17th Russia sanctions, blacklisting almost 200 shadow‑fleet ships, 30 evasion firms and 75 defence figures, banning missile chemicals and arming Brussels to strike Kremlin hybrid and operations.
Perched at 5,100 meters (16,732 feet) in the Peruvian Andes, La Rinconada is the highest permanent human settlement on Earth.
African countries are stepping up efforts to hold global tech companies like Meta accountable for how they handle user data. This could be a turning point for digital control on the continent.
Mexico, Chile and Uruguay have suspended poultry imports from Brazil after the country reported its first outbreak of bird flu on a commercial farm, Brazilian officials reported.
Nvidia, Cisco, Oracle and OpenAI are backing a massive artificial intelligence data center in Abu Dhabi called “UAE Stargate,” a project closely tied to a similar U.S. initiative launched by president Donald Trump earlier this year.
Austria has won the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. JJ claimed the trophy with his emotional pop-opera ballad Wasted Love, scoring 426 points in the grand final held in Basel, Switzerland.
Germany and the UK have announced a major new defense partnership to develop a long-range precision missile, part of a broader push for greater European military independence from the United States under president Donald Trump.
Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merzhas expressed skepticism about banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying such a move could do more harm than good to democratic values.
Two helicopters collided in mid-air near Eura airport in south-west Finland, killing all five people on board.
Five people were taken to hospital with stab wounds and later arrested after a violent incident at a music event in Thamesmead, southeast London.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment