Difficulty in stocking up on raw materials and high prices are some of the most frequent obstacles facing industrial entrepreneurs in El Salvador.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Salvadoran Association of Industrialists (ASI) are carrying out an investigation in which conclusions have been reached that 70% of the industrial sector buys its raw materials in the country, but they stated that there is often lack of availability of inputs.
The contest announced for the first quarter for the supply of 100 MW of clean energy has been canceled until the need for the recruitment has been defined.
Due to the fact that studies are still being conducted to determine the technical feasibility of the purchase of power generated exclusively from renewable resources and that there is currently a tender underway for traditional energy, the Superintendency of Electricity and Telecommunications has decided to suspend it until there is a clearer diagnosis of the energy needs.
Under an agreement between the Davivienda Bank and U.S. AID long-term loans to small and medium enterprises will be enabled.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Banco Davivienda Salvadoreño S.A. signed an agreement pledging to promote access to finance for Salvadoran SMEs in order to improve productivity and exports, one of the goals of the Partnership for Growth between El Salvador and the United States.
In Central America microinsurance coverage is minimal, with rates well below the rest of Latin America.
Throughout the region, Guatemala leads they way in such services with 0.58%, followed by El Salvador (0.13%), Nicaragua (0.12%), Panama (0.06%) and Honduras (0.05%) . According to a study by the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Salvadorans prefer micro-life insurance (112,000 people) and health insurance (78,000 people).
Some of the main businesses from El Salvador will be advocating for the realization of Fomilenio II and for a deepening of the Association for Growth pact signed between the two countries two years ago.
From a press release by the Presidency of El Salvador:
A delegation from the National Council for Growth will make an official visit to Washington DC from 24 to 26 June, where meetings will be held with senior government officials and the Congress of the United States, under the framework of the first 18 months of the Partnership for Growth.
In the past two years six cooperatives producing farmed shrimp improved their production by 175%, and entered the European market.
From an article by the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
As a result of a project initiated by the Enterprise and Employment Programme, part of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), six cooperatives of shrimp farmers in Nicaragua, located in the Estero Real, Chinandega, improved their production by 175% and entered the European market in the past two years.
The new regulation aims to unify shrimp fishing practices in Central America, for the adequate use of Turtle Exclusion Devices.
From a press release of the Central American Integration System (SICA):
Today, at the headquarters of the Central American Integration System (SICA), Mrs. Xinia Chaves, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica, representing her country in the exercise of the President Pro Tempore of SICA, deposited with the Secretary-General System, Juan Daniel Aleman, the "Regional Regulation OSP-06-13 on "Proper Use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs)", which aims to establish a regional policy framework for the appropriate use of the aforementioned TEDs.
Targeting the markets of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, the Export Promotion Agency of El Salvador has relaunched the program in support of SMEs.
From a press release published by the Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments of El Salvador (PROESA):
Under the Export Promotion Strategy, the Government of El Salvador launched on Tuesday April 16 the third edition of the Step by Step Export Program, a coordinated effort between the Agency for Promotion of Exports and Investments of El Salvador (PROESA) and the Ministry of Economy (MINEC), which has the support of the Technical Secretariat of the Presidency (STP), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through USAID's development program for SMEs, and the Special Fund of Resources from the Proceeds of the Privatization of ANTEL (FANTEL). It is expected that one hundred Salvadoran firms will initially be assisted as exporters and that there will be negotiations totalling over $5 million.
Only 14% of the Salvadoran population has a bank account.
As a way to promote financial inclusion, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Spainish-United Nations Fund for Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG-F), insist on the creation of a regulatory framework to govern banking services.
"One of the main objectives is approval of the regulation on the subject of mobile transactions, which doesn’t require any physical branches, but access to technologies such as cell phones", says an article in Elmundo.com.sv.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding a project to improve the competitiveness level of Salvadoran municipalities.
The goal is to improve municipal management in order to attract private investment.
“For 2014, the idea is to meet several indicators, such as creating 200 new companies and 5.000 new jobs among participating municipalities”, noted Laprensagrafica.com.
The US-donated resources will be used in reconstruction of bridges, roads and drainage structures.
It will also be used in roof, walls and floor repairs of schools and medical facilities, security walls, provision of school equipment, teaching materials and other supplies.
The works will help restore access to basic health services, education, and availability of adequate transport infrastructure, which are vital for economic growth in the most affected areas.
The program's goal is to contribute to the productive development of communities in the north of the capital.
A total of nine communities in Colonia Escalon will benefit from the program called "Sustainable Communities: Entrepreneurship and Employment Generation."
To implement the program, USAID has provided $ 500 thousand, Grupo Agrisal $ 125 thousand, the same amount by Fundación Meza Ayuda, FUNDEMAS $ 100 thousand and the Fondo de Iniciativas de Educación $ 250.000.
Rainforest Alliance and USAID have presented a new standard aimed at encouraging cattle farms to improve their environmental and social sustainability.
This standard, which forms part of the agreements established in DR-CAFTA, will help cattle farmers to implement best practices by voluntarily opting to obtain the the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ certification.
The call center industry is finding it hard to grow, due to lack of qualified bilingual personnel.
From every 7 individuals who apply for a Call Center job, just one has an English Language level of 85% or above. The remaining 6 display a skill level of 70%.
Beatriz Peralta, Sykes general manager, told Elsalvador.com that “these deficiencies limit the growth of the industry.
The money will be used to recover the main urban areas of each municipality.
FISDL, the Salvadoran Found For Local Social Investment, announced that the beneficiaries will be the mayoralties of San Salvador, Zacatecoulca, Mejicanos, Olocuilta and Zaragoza.
Hector Silva, president of the Fund and former mayor of San Salvador, assured his entity is willing to assist municipalities with financial support for urban improvement.
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