Because companies dedicated to the provision of services are more effective than product manufacturers and their growth is more accelerated, economies such as those of Central America could bet on the outsourcing of technology services.
In this context of sanitary and economic crisis, generated by the covid-19 outbreak, several economic sectors were affected due to the restrictions imposed, but, in contrast, companies involved in the provision of technological services reported a significant growth.
Faced with the sudden change that the new normal generated in companies, employees are challenged to increase their skills to work remotely, adapt to more flexible contracts and refine their technological skills and cognitive qualities.
Telecommuting has become an everyday occurrence among companies in the region, which have had to adjust to the restrictions imposed by governments due to the outbreak of covid-19.
Although new jobs will emerge, technological changes will have a strong impact in the Central American region, where there is a high proportion of jobs with a high risk of automation.
According to forecasts made by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in 2018 it was estimated that 75% of workers in Guatemala and El Salvador are in high-risk automation jobs.
The Congress of Costa Rica has finally approved a $500 million loan for the state electricity company to carry out electric generation and transmission works, including three geothermal plants.
Of the total amount of the loan with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved by the Legislative Assembly, close to $200 million will be used to finance the Pailas II, 50 MW, and Borinquen I, 55 MW geothermal projects, both in Liberia, Guanacaste.
With a loan from the IDB, plans are underway to carry out road renovation works on the cantonal road network, especially in the areas affected by storm Nate in 2017.
For the 61 projects in the first stage ofPRVC II, the MOPT estimatesholding approximately 12 tenders, each of which will include between four and five projects. As part of a second stage, around 64 projects will be worked on, which correspond to about 41 million dollars and are currently in the analysis phase.
The Costa Rican Ministry of Education used part of a $167 million trust, originally earmarked for the construction of 79 schools, to pay for sanctions imposed by the IADB because of a delay in the execution of those works.
Around $1.7 million was what the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) used to pay the sanction that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) imposed on it for not executing the $167.5 million trust within the established timeframe, money which had been allocated for building 79 educational centers and 24 roofed sports courts.
The Costa Rican Congress decided not to approve a $500 million loan that the state run power company wants to take out with the IDB to finance geothermal power generation projects in the country.
The deputies argued that they were not clear about the financial situation of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), which would receive the loan, for which the State would act as guarantor.The decision to halt the loan approval comes two days after President Solis announced he is facing a liquidity crisis.
A virtual seminar has been organized for April 5, on recommendations to negotiate with Indian companies and best practices for exporting to that market.
From a statement issued by PROCOMER:
ConnectAmericas, anonlineplatformcreated by the Inter - American Development Bank (IDB) with support from Google, DHL, Visa and Alibaba will be holding afreewebinaron essential tips for doing business in India, on April 6 at 10:00 am, in which best practices for entering the Indian market will be explored and useful guidelines will be provided for the export process.
From March 15 to 16 more than 400 local and international companies in the service sector will be holding business meetings during the OUTSOURCE2LAC business forum in San Jose, Costa Rica.
From a statement issued by PROCOMER:
San Jose, March 3, 2017.The largest gathering of service companies based on knowledge of Latin America will be meeting in San Jose, Costa Rica, on March 15 and 16.OUTSOURCE2LAC is a business conference organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), which aims to share best practices and experiences of the sector and to promote the creation of opportunities for business and investment for SMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It has been announced that using funds from the Inter-American Development Bank a tender will be launched for a plan to improve and streamline cross-border trade in the region.
The goal is to design and implement a system to improve and expedite the transit of goods between the Central American countries which currently face several obstacles affecting competitiveness, such as customs delays and duplication of procedures.
A private sector union is convening a symposium on economic and energy perspectives on 8 March in the country.
The symposium is being sponsored by the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) and the Chamber of Energy in Nicaragua (CEN) together with the NGO known as the Council of the Americas.
Trincheraonline.com reports that "... the economic panel of the symposium will include Mr.
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration has announced that this month it will deliver 55% of the funds required to implement the customs union between the two countries.
The funds pending for the implementation of the Customs Union between Guatemala and Honduras are being managed by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) for a total of $1.5 million for delivery in February.
The financing agreement between the IDB and the government provides funds to complete the geothermal plants Pailas II and Borinquen I and II of 55 MW each, and other electrical infrastructure.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance:
Authorities at the Ministry of Finance, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) signed a cooperation agreement to finance investment projects CR-X1014 for an amount up to $500 million.
The lack of high-level strategic coordination in the affairs of the state run power company has led to a multi million dollar law suit whose costs will be paid for by all Costa Ricans.
An article in Nacion.com reports that in March 2015 the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) informed the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) that a multi million dollar loan for the construction of a large hydroelectric power station on the river Reventazón, was conditional on the water of the River Parismina not being used, in the same basin or above it, by other hydroelectric plants. Three months later, on June 4, the ICE pledged to buy energy from the Desarrollo Hidroeléctrico de Parismina S.A. (DHPSA), electricity that would be generated by a 20 MW hydroelectric plant to be built on the eponymous river. And just four days later, on June 11, the state power formalized with the IDB its commitment to not allow power stations on the Parismina river.
With a loan from the IDB it is hoped that the state power geothermal projects Pailas Borinquen I and II will be completed and improvements made to the transfer line from Guanacaste and its connection to Central America.
The plan by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) is to invest the proceeds of the loan between 2017 and 2025, starting with projects under development in Guanacaste, Borinquen Pailas I and II.