CABEI provides investment opportunities and commercial integration to Spanish companies

March 1, 2018. Madrid, Spain. – The launch of the XI Report on the Panorama of Spanish Investment in Latin America was carried out in Madrid by the IE Business School of Spain. The document highlights Latin America as an attractive and growing region to maintain or develop new investment opportunities.

The study reveals that 75% of the surveyed companies plan to increase their investments in the region during 2018, (this percentage rises to 82%, if only SMEs are considered), while 25% of them intend to keep them and only 1% reduce them.

In a meeting with the Latin American press, the Director for Spain for the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), Enrique Manzanares, mentioned that, for the next few years, in the Central American region important investments have been identified in energy and road integration projects and border infrastructure, information and communication technologies and transport systems, as well as business opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The economies of the countries of the Central American region maintained their rate of growth of around 4.1% during 2017 and an increase of 4.4% is estimated during 2018, according to data from the Central Banks and supra-regional organizations of the Central American region.

During the discussion, participants presented the investment opportunities that the multilateral offers to companies that have at least 30% of Spanish capital and that develop commercial activities in Central America, through a line of credit signed in 2017 with the Official Credit Institute (ICO). The line aims to finance investment projects, working capital, as well as export and import operations.

Among the examples of investment of Spanish companies in Central America made with the support of CABEI are the Larreynaga Hydroelectric Power Plant Project in the Republic of Nicaragua (partially financed with FAD and ICO resources) and the Spain-CABEI Microcredit Program (through the AECID and the ICO).

In addition to Spain being a CABEI non-regional partner country since 2005, the close relationship between both parties also includes the administration of Spain's Debt Conversion Program to Honduras. The Program contributes to the economic growth and social development of Honduras through the implementation of a Debt Conversion Mechanism, focused on development projects and poverty reduction.

At the end of the activity with the media, Manzanares confirmed the Bank's availability to continue developing new partnerships and investment channels for companies that seek to grow in a stable market and with very good growth prospects.

CABEI offers opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking growth in the Central American region. It has a broad portfolio of diversified credit programs and lines, as well as a network of financial institutions that support and promote its development, competitiveness, regional integration and environmental sustainability objectives.