El Salvador’s Corporation of Exporters (Coexport) has signed a landmark memorandum of understanding with UN Women to advance gender equality as a core driver of international competitiveness. Building on the success of its Terminal Trucks initiative—which trained 200 local residents, 90% of whom were women, to operate heavy port machinery at Acajutla—the trade group is expanding inclusive hiring across the nation’s supply chains. The agreement also sets the groundwork for a specialized training academy designed to develop female technical, leadership, and entrepreneurial capabilities. As Coexport President Silvia Cuéllar emphasized, “Training opens the door, but what changes lives is employment. When gender-focused training aligns with industry needs, women break into spaces where they were rarely present before.”
In a parallel effort to modernize the workforce, Coexport has joined forces with NUMU Group under the CIBERLAMARR Project, an initiative co-funded by the European Union and BID Lab. This strategic partnership will train 1,000 young Salvadorans in high-demand digital skills, certifying 400 cybersecurity agents and 600 specialists in data governance and artificial intelligence. To tackle gender disparities in technology, at least 35% of the scholarshipsare reserved for women, with an ultimate goal of achieving gender parity across digital fields.
The collaboration connects local talent directly with the export market by offering internships, workplace integration events, and digital risk management workshops for enterprises. Coexport plans to facilitate formal job placement for at least 40% of program graduates, strengthening operational resilience for Salvadoran exporters navigating an increasingly digital global market. NUMU Group representative Gerardo Lara noted that “we are equipping young Salvadorans with critical tools in cybersecurity and AI while helping exporters manage the digital risks of online operations.”
By bridging social inclusion with digital transformation, El Salvador’s export leadership is fostering a more competitive,resilient economy. These combined alliances reinforce the nation’s position in global trade by cultivating a diverse, highly skilled workforce prepared for both industrial logistics and modern tech environments. “Expanding women’s participation across the value chain creates fresh opportunities for inclusive economic growth,” added UN Women representative Lourdes González Prieto.