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July 26 is International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of mangroves as a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem and to promote its sustainable management, conservation and use.
Mangroves are trees and shrubs that grow in saline and brackish tidal waters across tropical and subtropical regions of the world. These trees provide nursery habitat for economically important fisheries, migrating birds, and other wildlife.
Mangroves stabilize the coastline, reduce erosion from extreme weather events, and improve coastal waters quality by filtering land-based pollutants before runoff reaches shallow marine habitats. Mangrove forests are particularly important in Central America because the region is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events such as storms, floods, and landslides. Mangrove management is an important component of both climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) first global mangrove assessment warns that the future of these intertidal ecosystems is in jeopardy. By 2050, more than half of mangroves could collapse. Realizing that mangrove conservation is an urgent task, a group of empowered women from Barra de Santiago, El Salvador, have joined the USAID-IUCN Regional Coastal Biodiversity Project to restore the mangrove forest, protect the ecosystem and ensure that fish, crabs and shrimp are never missing from their nets and tables. Although they are currently working in an area of 5.5 hectares with the regional project, their goal is to restore a total of 25 hectares by 2025.
Read this inspiring experience in the Global Mangrove Alliance’s best practice guide Including Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) in Mangrove Conservation and Restoration (“Restoration and monitoring of four mangrove species in El Zaite, Barra de Santiago,” pages 86-88). Learn more about this effort by watching this TV news report.
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Business Forum “Connecting Human Capital and Creating Social Value” Held in Panama
A total of 186 members of different economic sectors participated on June 28 in the business forum “Connecting Human Capital and Creating Social Value” in Panama and addressed issues related to human capital and current legislation for hiring migrants.
“Spaces like this strengthen collaborative work and promote the creation of new opportunities (for migrants),” said Giuseppe Loprete, head of mission for IOM Panama.
The forum facilitated a dialogue to establish strategic alliances that enable the employability of migrants. This activity is part of the efforts to promote the economic integration of migrants through employment.
This is an initiative of the Integrated Responses on Migration from Central America program, implemented by IOM with the support of USAID.
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Boosting Regional Economic Development and Competitiveness through a Common Market
USAID supports the deep integration process among Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to enhance trade and movement of people in the region. This regional initiative removes border control barriers, harmonizes regulations, establishes integrated border control points, leverages advanced technology, and enhances cargo control and security.
El Salvador's participation in the “deep integration process,” also known as the “customs union” process, promotes regional economic integration and fosters economic growth for the three countries. By joining the customs union, El Salvador will contribute to the removal of trade barriers and streamline customs procedures, allowing for the free transit of goods across the three countries.
This collaboration facilitates the free movement of goods and people, but most importantly it strengthens regional competitiveness, attracts investment, and creates opportunities for businesses and consumers. Furthermore, it will enhance security and cooperation at border points, promoting a more efficient and secure trading environment.
USAID, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador, conducted a series of training on July 2, 9 and 18 titled, “The Deep Integration Process: Steps to implement the Single Central American Invoice and Declaration (FYDUCA).” During these workshops, over 100 company representatives from El Salvador, who have commercial interests with Guatemala and Honduras, learned about the adoption and implementation of the FYDUCA in El Salvador, a key step to implement the customs union process.
This electronic document simplifies trade by combining the invoice, the customs declaration and sanitary-phytosanitary notifications into one document, reducing paperwork and costs for businesses. This streamlined process enhances pre-arrival procedures, promotes transparency, improves security, and fosters coordination among the countries. By facilitating trade and implementing efficient procedures, the FYDUCA strengthens regional economic integration and boosts competitiveness, driving economic growth and development in Central America.
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Celebrating TEAM-NT Project Achievements in Tegucigalpa
TEAM-NT, a regional procurement systems project supported by USAID and implemented by INCAE Business School, held its regional closing event on June 26 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Project representatives highlighted the main results of the 24 participating municipalities and districts in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, in terms of improving the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of their public procurement.
Event guests included representatives from public and private institutions, mayors and municipal officials, Honduran government authorities, and directors of the Association of Municipalities of Honduras (AMHON). Sergio Coello, Secretary of Transparency of Honduras; Meredith Fox, Acting Deputy Director of USAID Honduras; and Ronald Arce, Director of CLACDS at INCAE Business School, attended the event and gave remarks.
The project strengthened public procurement systems and processes through training, advice and technical support to 24 selected municipalities in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, with the participation of other relevant institutional stakeholders from the public sector, the private sector, civil society, and academia.
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Sustainable Agriculture for a Promising Future
The U.S. and Mexican cooperation agencies (USAID and AMEXCID) work together under the Sembrando Oportunidades framework to enable people in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to get ahead in their own countries. Under this cooperation, more Salvadoran farmers continue to learn about sustainable agriculture, preparing organic products and strengthening their administrative processes. This new knowledge has enabled them to increase their income and generate 40 new jobs.
USAID/Mexico's Alliance for Root Causes and Opportunities (ARCO) implements this initiative and provides technical assistance, capacity building, and rigorous monitoring and evaluation systems to farmers that had received AMEXCID’s previous support, making this bilateral collaboration an effective strategy to address the root causes of irregular migration. ARCO's agricultural component also offers beneficiaries tools and equipment, and connects them to new buyers.
Watch this video to learn more about the impact on Salvadoran farmers.
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In 2023, USAID and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) provided humanitarian assistance to more than 23,000 migrant returnees to Honduras and more than 3,200 participated in economic reintegration and livelihood generation initiatives, in coordination with implementing partners from the private sector and civil society.
USAID and IOM recently published a book titled The Faces of Reintegration in Honduras, that brings together photographs and inspiring testimonies of Hondurans who have overcome various challenges upon returning to their communities after a period of migration. They also share how they have found in entrepreneurship a powerful tool to rebuild their lives, contributing to the sustainable development of the country.
These stories are a call for understanding and recognition of the resilience that defines those who migrate and, for various reasons, return. The testimonies show the challenges and triumphs of 10 people who have taken control of their future.
The Faces of Reintegration in Honduras was published as part of USAID and IOM's Integrated Responses to Migration from Central America program.
Download the full book here.
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