This is what can be taken away from a recent study by the Uniciencia Bucaramanga, a Colombian university, entitled 'Mining and Energy Policy: Analysis of the Case of Pacific Rubiales'. The report's author, Mario Alejandro Valencia, states, "Despite the fact that the base of Pacific Rubiales' wealth comes from the extraction of Colombian oil and gas, a large portion of it comes from financial speculation, an activity which results in zero investment for Colombia."

The recent publication of the book by Alfredo Molano En Medio del Magdalena Medio offers us the the opportunity to look again at various issues of political importance in Colombia: social partnership as a mechanism of conflict resolution; African palm as an alternative for the country and the role of the World Bank.