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In the span of 48 hours this week, the United States signed separate reciprocal trade agreements with El Salvador (January 29) and Guatemala (January 30), thereby finalizing frameworks announced last November. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer positioned these as the first completed Western Hemisphere deals in President Trump's new trade order, promising expanded market access, regulatory clarity, and strengthened supply chains. For foreign investors and small businesses

Introduction: SMEs at the Crossroads of Climate Risk and Opportunity Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are often described as the backbone of developing economies: flexible, embedded in local supply chains, and key drivers of employment and innovation. For enterprises in emerging markets, especially those supported by Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs), the challenge is how to grow responsibly while managing risks and preparing for a low‑carbon future. Climate chang

On November 13, 2025, the White House announced a framework trade agreement with Guatemala, alongside similar frameworks for Argentina, El Salvador, and Ecuador. For Guatemala’s Minister of Economy, Gabriela García-Quinn , this framework represents a significant diplomatic and economic win, positioning the country as a frontrunner in regional trade realignment with the United States. These arrangements promise the removal of reciprocal tariffs on select products that the U.S

At the recent XX Congreso Industrial  in Guatemala, government and business leaders gathered to discuss how the region can attract more sustainable, scalable foreign direct investment (FDI). The tone was ambitious, yet grounded. A key takeaway, captured effectively in a República  article titled “Certezas y desafíos para atraer IED”  (Sept. 30, 2025) , was that Guatemala's FDI future depends not only on infrastructure, but also on deeper structural reforms . Two of the most t

Across the globe, corporate giving is evolving, not just in scale, but in purpose and design. The Bridgespan Group’s recent analysis of...

In Guatemala’s highland communities, small and growing businesses (SGBs) do more than drive local economies, they anchor families, reduce...

The United States’ August 1 tariff realignment has redrawn the map for regional trade dynamics. Central America, long operating on the...

With the USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) offline, the responsibility of sharing development impact stories increasingly...

Recently, global leaders gathered in Sevilla, Spain, for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FF4D). The...

The IMF’s June 2025 assessment of Guatemala underscores a compelling dynamic: a resilient economy with the short-term policy space to...

The 2025 Global Gender Gap Report, published by the World Economic Forum, offers a detailed examination of the evolving state of gender...

In today’s rapidly evolving development landscape, private sector engagement (PSE) has moved from a peripheral role to center stage. As...

In May 2025, Guatemala launched a high-level trade diplomacy effort in Washington, D.C., led by Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez...

With the USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) offline, the responsibility of sharing development impact stories increasingly...

At ALD Strategic Advisory, we recognize that meaningful economic development isn’t just about numbers but strategic decisions that unlock...

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are designated areas within a country that operate under different economic regulations than the rest of...

Eco-Industrial Parks: The Future of Sustainable Investment in Central America As global markets shift toward stronger environmental,...

The Shifting Landscape of Development Aid in Central America For decades, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was a...

Discover how the Guatemala Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (GEDI) scaled economic opportunity through public-private partnerships, local innovation, and strategic support. Learn how GEDI’s model and results are informing future approaches through ALD Strategic Advisory.

In recent years, Central America has witnessed a wave of ambitious public-private partnerships (PPPs), especially in critical sectors...