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, early investment analysis, 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 grant to the Secretariat of Administrative Management of the State of Acre is being used to evaluate 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 the federal government in Brazil to develop more efficient government services such as e-government networks.

State Government of Minas Gerais Datacenter Project – A $425,000 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

Chile Air Navigation Technologies Technical Assistance – A $980,000 grant to the Civil General Aviation Directorate of Chile is supporting a pilot project involving the 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 grant to the Civil Aviation Special Administrative Unit (AeroCivil) is being used to 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 its remote power supply infrastructure and reduce the cost of providing power to operate remote facilities throughout Colombia.

Port of Buenaventura Operational and Security Enhancement Project – A $400,000 grant to the Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Buenaventura will support the monitoring and security of cargo transit at the Port of Buenaventura, the main terminal operator on Colombia’s Pacific coast. The study will evaluate existing conditions and provide recommendations for the implementation of a container scanning facility at the Port of Buenaventura. The port is a multipurpose facility handling containers, bulk cargo, break bulk, vehicles, and general cargo.

Costa Rica

El Diquis Hydroelectric Power Geotechnical and Financial Analyses – Two grants, valued at $300,000 and $200,000, to the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity are supporting the geotechnical and financial components of a $4 million feasibility study for the El Diquis hydroelectric power project. The Project involves the construction of a 631 megawatt (MW) hydroelectric power plant that will meet Costa Rica's growing demand for electricity.

Dominican Republic

Emergency Response Management System – A $600,000 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 is supporting 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 is supporting 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 United States and El Salvador.

Guatemala

Customs Transit Control System – A $387,500 grant to Guatemala's Superintendent of Tax Administration (SAT) is promoting 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 USTDA grant funded a study for Empresa Nacional Portuaria on the development of a dry bulk unloading terminal, which will improve the overall infrastructure and efficiency of operations at the Port of Cortes.

Jamaica

Air Jamaica Privatization – Two USTDA grants, totaling $820,180, to the Jamaican Ministry of Finance and the Public Service are funding assistance 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 is assisting 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 Mexico's Secretary of Communications and Transportation (SCT) is helping to develop 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 that will create greater commercial efficiencies and lower costs along the supply chain.

Nicaragua

Nicaragua National Ports Law – A $510,000 grant to the Nicaraguan National Port Authority is supporting 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 grant is assisting 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 USTDA grant to the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima is fostering enhanced 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 is expected to yield substantial environmental and health benefits for the municipality.

Trinidad and Tobago

Regional Air Cargo and Aircraft Maintenance Hub – A $390,572 grant to the Airport Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is developing 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 grant to Uruguay’s National Administration for Electric Supply and Transmission (UTE) for a proposed 300MW coal-fired power plant that would use clean coal technology.