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USAID and its regional partners celebrated the achievements of the $18.8 million Regional Trade Facilitation and Border Management Project, which promoted the economic integration of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and compliance with Trade Facilitation Agreements established before the World Trade Organization. The project focused on customs union and trade facilitation, while maintaining border crossing security and control to reduce import prices and increase exports
U.S. Ambassador William Duncan and Secretary General of the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA) Francisco Lima Mena presided over the celebration of the six-year project's achievements.
Read more in the press release and do not miss the Digital Feature video below.
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Government of Costa Rica, USAID and IOM Strengthen the Protection and Management of the South Migration Station on the Border with Panama
Representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM); the Government of Costa Rica, through the Ministry of Public Security (MSP) and the Directorate General of Migration and Foreigners (DGME); and USAID met on August 12 in Paso Canoas, on the southern border with Panama, to celebrate the launch of the Integrated Shelter Registration System (SIRA) in Costa Rica, an innovative IT tool to help ensure orderly, safe and dignified care for migrants temporarily housed at the DGME’s Southern Migration Station (EMISUR).
The SIRA collects detailed data on individuals and families in shelters, integrating modules for comprehensive shelter management, such as demographic data recording, health needs, logistics and resources, in addition to generating real-time reports. Its online and offline functionality ensures continuous access to data, while high security and privacy standards guarantee the protection of information. IOM and USAID supported the purchase of technological equipment and technical assistance for the adaptation and use of the system at the migratory station, with an investment of almost $62,000.
The launch event included an official ceremony with authorities from the MSP and DGME, followed by a technical presentation on the functionalities of the SIRA and a visit to EMISUR to observe the implementation of the system.
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U.S. and Mexico Launch Platform to Boost Youth Employability in El Salvador
The government of the United States and the government of Mexico, in collaboration with the Business Foundation for Social Action (FUNDEMAS), launched the digital platform of the Multi-sectoral Alliance: Ecosystems for Employability, designed to connect youth with professional development opportunities and employers, facilitating access to relevant labor market information securely and free of charge.
The platform offers several services to improve youth employability, including “My First Opportunity”, for people with or without previous experience; “Opportunity Exchange”, for those who already have experience and are looking for their next professional growth, and “Opportunities for Entrepreneurs”, for entrepreneurship training.
USAID and the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) collaborate in this initiative under the “Sembrando Oportunidades” cooperation program to help Salvadoran youth enter the labor market.
In December 2021, the U.S. and Mexican governments announced the “Sembrando Oportunidades” initiative, a bilateral collaboration agreement to generate economic opportunities for youth and farmers and address the structural causes of irregular migration from Central America. Through “Sembrando Oportunidades,” USAID supports youth workforce development activities by identifying job opportunities in the private sector and strengthening skills to increase the employability of participants in AMEXCID's “Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro” project.
At the regional level, USAID and AMEXCID's joint work has helped create jobs for 626 young people in El Salvador and Honduras. In addition, 1,700 people have been enrolled in educational programs and 83 partnerships have been established with the private sector to secure jobs.
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More than 1,200 Migrants Advised on Immigration Regularization in Panama
With the support of USAID and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), through the Integrated Responses to Migration from Central America Program, more than 1,200 migrants received free legal advice on immigration and labor regularization in Panama. Of that number, 278 people were able to complete the regularization process.
The Government of Panama established Executive Decree No. 112 on July 13, 2023, which created the new Temporary Protection Permit, and Executive Decree No. 6 on April 13, 2023, which legalizes the Work Permit for Migrants. To support the State's efforts, IOM organized community meetings and weekly virtual sessions for migrants who had been residing in the country for at least one year and had no other migration process in progress.
In partnership with the Activados Panama Foundation, universities, embassies and consulates, the community workshops were held from April to August 2024 in the provinces of Panama, West Panama, Chiriqui, Herrera and Colon.
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Economic Integration on the Road to Success
USAID, through the Regional Trade Facilitation and Border Management Project, has promoted the economic integration of Central America. Collaboration and joint efforts with local and regional partners created a new era of regional cooperation, where trade can flow without barriers and economies strengthen each other.
Watch this video to learn more about the project's achievements that led to breakthroughs such as a 39 percent reduction in time and costs to import goods across borders; a 36 percent reduction in the time required for physical inspections at key ports; a 50 percent reduction in physical documents requested at borders, eliminating the need for more than one million hard copies; and a 74 percent reduction in the time required for sanitary procedures.
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What do teachers, barbers, small business entrepreneurs, customs officers, and youth all have in common? All are striving for a more prosperous and secure future in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
As we mark three years since the launch of the U.S. government’s Strategy to Address the Root Causes of Irregular Migration in Central America, we’re highlighting five ways USAID and its partners are making progress.
Read more in the Medium Blog “A Foundation to Build On.”
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