January 2024

Integrated Border Controls Facilitate Regional Trade

Honduras and El Salvador made a major advancement towards regional trade integration with the first single integrated border control between the two countries. Since December 7, 2023, customs and border officials from Honduras and El Salvador share the same space at El Amatillo, a major border crossing for the two countries, to simultaneously process migration, customs, agriculture, and police controls.  The integrated border controls will impact trade facilitation by reducing times and costs to cross borders, and increasing transparency. USAID, through its Regional Trade Facilitation and Border Management Project supported the collaborative process between the two countries. The project helps the Central American region to strengthen trade competitiveness by enhancing integration and optimizing systems and processes related to foreign trade.

News & Events

National Migration and Remittances Survey

During the commemoration of International Migrants Day in December, USAID and the International Organization for Migration released the National Survey on Migration and Remittances.

The survey, conducted by the International Organization for Migration in Honduras, in coordination with the National Institute of Statistics, provides a better understanding of migration dynamics and the impact of family remittances in Honduras.

This study is part of the activities of the Integrated Responses on Migration from Central America Project, a USAID regional initiative to contribute to safe, orderly and regular migration in Central America and provide support for sustainable reintegration and integration.

U.S. Ambassador Michelle Kwan visits the Belmopan Night Market

Four migrant entrepreneurs from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic had the opportunity to exhibit and sell their handicrafts and traditional foods at the Garden City Night Market in Belmopan. USAID and IOM Belize, through the Regional Integrated Responses on Migration from Central America Project, commemorated International Migrant Day by supporting the entrepreneurs’ participation. A project stand at the fair provided information on USAID and IOM’s work through interactive games to raise awareness on the diversity and inclusion of migrants. 

U.S. Ambassador Michelle Kwan toured the stands and learned about the migration story and the handicraft skills of the migrant entrepreneurs. 

The Integrated Responses on Migration Project has helped migrants to apply for regularization opportunities, such as the Amnesty Program in Belize, and participate in financial literacy training and entrepreneurship opportunities.

100+ Women and Girls Trained in Geospatial Technologies

More than 100 women and girls from Costa Rica participated in a three-day workshop on using geospatial technologies for agricultural and natural resource management in their communities. The workshop provided a space for participants from various backgrounds and levels of technical experience to collaborate and explore how geospatial tools can be used to support climate resilience. 

The GeoFem: Women in Geospatial Technologies workshop was hosted and organized by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Central America Aerospace Network (RAC) in San José, in partnership with SERVIR (a joint program of USAID and NASA) and NASA Harvest. GeoFem seeks to bridge the digital divide between men and women by strengthening women’s geospatial skills. The workshop also supports personal growth, resilience, and professional empowerment.

Digital Feature  

A Million Meters Away: The Adventures of Paco and Clari

This is the first chapter of the Animated series "A Million Meters Away: The Adventures of Paco and Clari" which seeks to raise awareness about the risks of irregular migration and generate spaces for dialogue on the subject. This is an initiative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and USAID under the Integrated Responses on Migration from Central America Project. 

The series presents the story of Clari, an adventurous 12-year-old girl, and Paco, an intelligent but shy 8-year-old boy. They embark on a journey that will change their lives in unexpected ways. Their journey will initially be exciting, but they will soon realize the risks of an irregular migratory journey. On their way, they will cross paths with Luis, an ambiguous coyote who offers help, but in reality seeks economic benefits. Clari and Paco will discover the true intentions of Luis, who plans to hand them over to the fearsome desert hyenas for a reward.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the west coast of El Salvador houses a colony of hard coral Astrangia cf equatorialis? Salvadoran and international scientists never imagined that this species could be found in that area of the eastern Pacific Ocean. Read how this discovery has brought joy and a renewed appreciation of coastal biodiversity, supported by USAID.