The Partnership for Central America (PCA) and Vice President Kamala Harris have jointly announced today an impressive sum of over $1 billion in fresh investments from the private sector. This landmark initiative, known as Central America Forward (CAF), is a dynamic public-private collaboration that emerged in direct response to the Vice President’s Call to Action for Northern Central America.
Key Highlights
- Total new commitments exceed $5.2 billion since May 2021.
- 50+ companies and organizations have made commitments to support inclusive economic growth.
- Investments create jobs, connect people to the digital economy, and improve economic livelihoods.
- New commitments include investments in agriculture, financial inclusion, steel production, SMEs, youth training, and more.
Fresh Pledges
- Acceso to invest $3.6 million in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to strengthen local food systems.
- Banco Cuscatlan to invest over $30 million in financial inclusion in El Salvador.
- Corporación AG to invest over $150 million in Guatemala, creating jobs.
- Ficohsa to increase their SME loan portfolio by $490 million, prioritizing women-led businesses.
- JA Worldwide to provide skills training to over 1,800 vulnerable girls.
- Meta to train 250,000 youth and entrepreneurs.
- Pearson to upskill English language learners.
- Pantaleon to invest over $42 million in Guatemala.
- Conecta to invest over $260 million in electrical power transmission in Guatemala.
Effect
- The initiatives aim to prioritize financial inclusion, skill development, job creation, enhancing digital access, and providing support to entrepreneurs.
- Furthermore, there are additional efforts to promote good governance, establish a service corps, and facilitate remittance transfers.
The investments are creating tangible opportunities for families and communities, benefiting students, employees, entrepreneurs, and families, and shaping a model for mobilizing private sector commitments to drive economic development.
The commitments underscore a commitment to sustainable growth and inclusive development in the region, addressing key challenges such as job creation, digital access, and financial inclusion. This partnership exemplifies the power of collaboration between government and private sector entities to drive positive change and build a more prosperous future for Central America.
