Creating Economic Opportunities

This project promotes trade and investment, mobilizes financial services, upgrades productive infrastructure, and improves private sector competitiveness, benefiting poor and vulnerable populations, particularly Indigenous youth.

The objective of this project is to reduce poverty and improve living conditions of Guatemalans, closing gaps between Guatemala and migrant destination countries, to create a Guatemala in which “economic opportunity” exists and irregular migration is not necessary in order to find opportunities. This project works with municipalities and utilizes the National Planning System in coordination with the private sector to promote trade and investment, mobilize financial services, upgrade productive infrastructure, and improve private sector competitiveness.

Through a market-led approach, CEO grows and expands formal businesses and employment to create income generating opportunities for Guatemalans, primarily in non-agricultural sectors. By focusing on select municipalities in five departments of Guatemala’s Western Highlands, with particular attention given to intermediate and emerging intermediate cities, as well as the department of Guatemala (area with high levels of irregular migration), CEO is benefitting poor and vulnerable populations, particularly indigenous youth (aged 15 to 24 years).