At the end of 2020, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador remained at the bottom of the Human Development Index ranking, while Costa Rica and Panama were better evaluated.
The report entitled The Next Frontier, Human Development and the Anthropocene, which was published on December 15, 2020 at the global level, updates the Human Development Index (HDI) that is calculated by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
The fair "Knowing the South: regional exchange of solutions," which aims to present solutions of the South-South Cooperation (SSC) on issues of social and sustainable development will take place from 8th to 10th May in Panama.
From a press release from the United Nations Program for Development:
In recent years the region has advanced in a process of political, economic, social and cultural development.
Crime and violence associated with drug trafficking brings with it overwhelming economic costs, estimated at about 8% of GDP.
In this illegal activity, that in the 90's was centered in the Caribbean but has migrated to Central America, cartels move about 300 tons of cocaine to North America, valued at $38 billion.
According to the National Civil Police, between 2008 and 2011 40,000 murders were committed in the country, of which a high percentage are related to drug trafficking.
The prevailing violence and crime in Guatemala has led to an increase in the supply of services and products to provide security.
There are currently 150 security companies, employing about 120,000 people offering services such as surveillance and custodial care among other things.
"These kinds of services are mainly sought by businesses and neighborhoods, due to a distrust of the services provided by state security forces.
The vast majority of Guatemalan workers have not completed elementary education. The average schooling is 5.6 years.
The results of the National Survey of Employment and Income (ENEI 2010) done by the National Statistics Institute (INE), also reveals that education of Guatemalan workers has not improved over the last six years.
"The situation gets worse in rural areas, while workers in metropolitan zones have an average of 8.35 years of schooling; rural areas have averaged just 3.8 years of education. The remaining urban workers have an average of 6.36 years of schooling," Lorena Alvarez writes for Elperiodico.com.gt.
The region spends over $6.5 billion each year to fight insecurity and violence.
Central America is the world's most violent region, with an average murder rate of 33 homicides per 100.000 inhabitants, stated a report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"Central America has become the world's most violent region. With the exception of areas of intense political violence, such as the South African region, the Central American countries together have the highest murder rate in the world, found the study, which does not include Irak, due to its state of war.
The funds provided by the European Commission are aimed at boosting agricultural development and improve the food supply.
The funds, $20 million for Guatemala and $10 million for Nicaragua, are part of a total of $42 million, which also includes Bolivia.
The support will run for three years, until 2011 and “it will finance measures to improve access to agricultural production means such as fertilizers, seeds, veterinary services, micro credit, rural infrastructure, training and support for professionals," according what was reported in the Finanzas.com website.
In the face of the crisis, the government hired a consultancy by the UNPD to develop a new labor policy.
The consultancy will take place over a period of three months and it will look for ways to continue to implement part-time work without ratifying Agreement 175 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Journalist Lorena Alvarez wrote in Elperiodico.com.gt: "Afterward, the proposal will be reviewed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, as well as the Tripartite Commission for Labor Affairs."
The country's 2007-2008 Human Development Report will be presented today by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Slight economic growth in the country between 1980 and 2007 and unresolved social problems involving inequality and poverty "demonstrate how the Guatemalan economic model has failed", the Report states.
The document further indicates that the country has had economic growth levels below average world and regional figures of 2.7 percent between 1980 and 2007, According to the study "they will require 27 years to double their Gross National Product (GNP)"
The Elevated thoroughfare project by businessman Juan Fernando Letona could increase the number of cars on the road.
This was the conclusion by Enrique Godoy, president of Urban Proposal, and Francisco Rodas, a consultant for the United Nations Development Program.
Rodas points out that the project by Letona is interesting and can be joined with the municipal projects of the Anillo Periferico (Outer Ring) and the Transmetro, as a solution to the congestion problems.
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