CABEI-financed productive and social infrastructure projects advance in Guatemala

Guatemala City, June 24, 2021.- This week, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) met with high-level ministry and institutional authorities of the Government of Guatemala to learn about the progress of the productive and social infrastructure programs it finances in the health, security and justice, and road development sectors.

"Infrastructure modernization in countries is key to provide basic services to people and meet the needs of economic agents. Undoubtedly, investing in health and safety allows us to increase a country's competitive advantages and improve the population's social conditions, especially for the most vulnerable, which is why we are holding these meetings with our strategic allies to expedite the execution of projects in Guatemala," commented CABEI Executive President, Dr. Dante Mossi.

One of the analyzed programs was the Investment and Modernization of the Justice Sector, signed in 2020 for an amount of US$300 million, executed by the Government Ministry (MINGOB), the Judicial Branch (OJ), the Public Criminal Defense Institute (IDPP) and the National Forensic Science Institute (INACIF), which will generate benefits for the population and productive sectors at the national level.

To date, this program has received CABEI disbursements totaling US$34.9 million, with which the MINGOB has begun the process of building prisons and police stations and acquiring a fleet of vehicles and technological equipment.  For its part, the Judicial Branch is in the preliminary stages of the peace courts and judicial warehouses construction; likewise, the IDPP began the pre-investment development processes for the construction of departmental and municipal headquarters for the criminal public defender's office.

For its part, CABEI and the Health and Social Assistance Ministry (MSPAS) reached agreements to accelerate the pre-investment studies required for the construction of works identified in the Hospital Infrastructure and Equipment Investment Program, which will benefit more than 6.6 million residents of the country's interior departments.

Work sessions were also held with the Public Finance Ministry (MINFIN), the Communications, Infrastructure and Housing Ministry (CIV) and Railroads of Guatemala (FEGUA in Spanish) with the purpose of identifying investment opportunities that promote competitiveness and sustainable development in the country and improve the well-being and quality of life of Guatemalans.