USTDA Regional Brief - Latin America and the Caribbean

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits, and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment, and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors or projects that may benefit from U.S. goods and services and to activities that measurably affect development in the host country.

Since the agency's creation in 1981, USTDA investments in Latin America and the Caribbean have produced over $6.1 billion in U.S. exports.

The following is a partial list of recent USTDA-supported projects in Latin America and the Caribbean:

Brazil

Acre Statewide Broadband Project – A $443,570 feasibility study grant to the Secretariat of Administrative Management of the State of Acre. The study is evaluating a statewide broadband project that will provide broadband internet services to Acre's 22 municipalities by 2010. The project is closely associated with parallel initiatives of federal government to develop more efficient government services such as e-government networks.

State Government of Minas Gerais Datacenter Project – A $425,000 feasibility study grant to the State Government of Minas Gerais Economic Development Secretariat will support the development of a centralized administrative datacenter within the State’s e-government program. The administrative datacenter will consolidate the government’s corporate IT infrastructure while supporting operational staff that share common functions.

Chile

Air Navigation Technologies Technical Assistance –A $980,000 technical assistance grant to the Civil General Aviation Directorate of Chile. The grant will support a pilot project for installation of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast and Local Area Augmentation System airspace technologies at the Arturo Merino Benítez airport in Santiago. If successful, these technologies could later be implemented at other sites throughout the country.

Colombia

Civil Aviation Renewable Energy – A $700,000 feasibility study grant to the Civil Aviation Special Administrative Unit (AeroCivil) will develop a plan for converting the power supply for remote air traffic control and weather monitoring facilities in Colombia from diesel generators to renewable energy sources. The Civil Aviation Renewable Energy Power Supply Project will allow AeroCivil to improve the reliability of their remote power supply infrastructure and reduce the cost of providing power to operate their remote facilities throughout Colombia.

Telecommunications Capacity Building – A $484,600 technical assistance grant to the Colombian Ministry of Communications to assess long distance licensing, local loop unbundling, and emerging technologies. The grant seeks to enhance competition in the long distance and cellular markets, as well as developing advanced wireless, broadband, and Voice-over-Internet Protocol services.

Costa Rica

El Diquis Hydroelectric Power Geotechnical and Financial Analyses – A $300,000 and a $200,000 feasibility study grant to the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity to support the geotechnical and financial components of a $4 million feasibility study for the El Diquis Hydroelectric Power project jointly funded by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, as well as in-kind contributions from the Institute. The Project involves the construction of a 631 MW hydroelectric power plant that will meet Costa Rica's growing demand for electricity.

Dominican Republic

Emergency Response Management System – A $600,000 feasibility study grant to the Department of Planning and Programs of the Dominican Republic's Secretariat of the Interior and Police will support the development of a national 9-1-1 emergency response system. The study aims to enhance public safety and improve the investment climate by modernizing the country's information and communications technology infrastructure to provide real-time emergency call response.

El Salvador

Municipal Infrastructure and Commercial Zone Development in Chalatenango Project – A $500,000 technical assistance grant to the Municipality of Chalatenango to support the development of municipal infrastructure and commercial zones in the northern region of El Salvador. The technical assistance will help to develop business, commercial, and industrial infrastructure in Chalatenango to complement the investments being made under the Millennium Challenge Corporation compact.

Northern Zone Trade Facilitation Portal – A $285,000 technical assistance grant to the Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development to support the development of a web portal to facilitate trade and investment in the northern region of El Salvador. As part of this technical assistance, a series of trade and investment roundtables will be held in the U.S. and El Salvador.

Guatemala

Customs Transit Control System – A $387,500 technical assistance grant to Guatemala's Superintendent of Tax Administration (SAT) to develop a more efficient and secure system that allows SAT to closely monitor customs warehouse transfers and cargo inspection activities, capture all commercial transactions, and reduce losses. The project will enable SAT to both improve its customs transit processes and install information and communications systems consistent with the World Customs Organization Framework of Standards.

Honduras

Port of Cortés Dry Bulk Unloading Terminal – A $470,000 feasibility study for Empresa Nacional Portuaria. The study examined the development of a dry bulk unloading terminal, which will improve the overall infrastructure and efficiency of operations at the Port of Cortes.

Jamaica

b Two technical assistance grants, totaling $820,180, to the Jamaican Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, which is working I collaboration with the International Finance Corporation, on the planned privatization of Air Jamaica. The grants will develop a number of strategic options for the airline and provide recommendations on an appropriate legal framework for the privatization.

Mexico

CFE Environmental Management Project – A $640,500 grant to assist the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) in developing an environmental remediation program for its decommissioned facilities. The objective of the technical assistance is to support CFE in determining environmental, health, and safety guidelines for decommissioning, dismantling, and retrofitting closed power plants and substations.

SCT Multimodal National Plan – A $1,323,900 technical assistance grant to assist Mexico's Secretary of Communications and Transportation (SCT) in developing a comprehensive national plan to modernize Mexico's multimodal trade transportation infrastructure. Implementation of this project will strengthen Mexican competitiveness through targeted investments in vital trade transportation links which will create greater commercial efficiencies and lower costs along the supply chain.

Nicaragua

Nicaragua National Ports Law – A $510,000 technical assistance grant to support the Nicaraguan National Port Authority in the development of a framework for a National Ports Law. The National Ports Law will establish a framework to attract private investment and operators in the port sector and help strengthen the overall competitiveness of the Nicaraguan economy.

Panama

Port and Maritime Sector Monitoring and Control Center – A $331,341 feasibility study grant to support the Panama Maritime Authority in developing a Maritime Sector Monitoring and Control Center. The facility will help the Maritime Authority monitor and control Panama's maritime sector, including the administration of the Panamanian-registered fleet, national and international fishing fleets, ports, safety, security and environmental management.

Peru

Lima Integrated Solid Waste Management – A $441,960 feasibility study to the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima for the Lima Integrated Solid Waste Management project. The project will enhance municipal solid waste management and collection in Peru's capital and largest city. The proposed comprehensive and integrated approach to municipal solid waste management, collection, and disposal it expected to yield substantial environmental and health benefits for the municipality.

Trinidad and Tobago

Regional Air Cargo and Aircraft Maintenance Hub – A $390,572 feasbility study grant to the Airport Authority of Trinidad and Tobago to develop a strategic development plan for the creation of aircraft maintenance and air cargo facilities at Piarco International Airport in Trinidad. The project will include the development of a new air cargo facility; aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul facilities; aviation component overhaul and manufacturing facilities, and an air cargo and logistics clearance center.

Uruguay

UTE Clean Coal Technology – A $419,729 feasibility study grant to Uruguay’s National Administration for Electric Supply and Transmission (UTE) for a proposed 300 megawatt coal-fired power plant that would use clean coal technology.