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El Salvador Strengthens Global Partnerships at Sustainability Week 2025
The Government of El Salvador, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the El Salvador Agency for International Cooperation (ESCO), is supporting and participating in the 13th Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Week 2025, organized by the Business Foundation for Social Action (FUNDEMAS).
This key national event aims to foster multisectoral cooperation and strengthen alliances with public and private partners to promote the country’s sustainable development. It will bring together hundreds of participants, including business leaders, unions, entrepreneurs, representatives from international organizations, universities, and civil society, who will exchange ideas and experiences to advance El Salvador’s progress through sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility.
Deputy Minister Adriana Mira emphasized that “this event represents a valuable opportunity to promote spaces for dialogue and knowledge about the mechanisms and tools we have for advancing multi-stakeholder coordination processes. It will also strengthen joint work models so that resources can be used more efficiently and generate greater impact.”
Through ESCO, the Ministry will participate in a forum focused on cooperation and partnerships for sustainable development, reinforcing the government’s commitment to building strategic international relationships that drive inclusive growth.
According to FUNDEMAS, the three-day event—from October 21 to 23—will include keynote addresses, sectoral panels, best practices fairs, partnership-building opportunities, and field visits.
As FUNDEMAS President Tomás Regalado stated, “We are seeking common ground that will allow us to build a better country.”
Also present at the pre-event conference were Spanish Ambassador Sonia Álvarez, European Union Cooperation Chief Ana Coimbra, and United Nations Resident Coordinator Raúl Salazar, reaffirming the importance of global collaboration in El Salvador’s path toward sustainable development.
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El Salvador Strengthens Regenerative Tourism for Sustainable Growth
The Government of President Nayib Bukele continues to support initiatives focused on sustainable and regenerative tourism as a key engine for national development. Today, the Minister of Tourism, Morena Valdez, attended the “Club Sustentable” event organized by Davivienda El Salvador, which gathers business leaders, entrepreneurs, and representatives from international cooperation and the public sector to discuss sustainability strategies.
Minister Valdez highlighted that “60% of the global population composed of millennials, centennials, and Generation Z are interested in regenerative tourism because they understand its importance and are action-driven. Regenerative tourism means restoring the destinations we visit.”
According to official data, tourism in El Salvador grew from representing 5% of the national GDP in 2019 to 10% in 2024, reflecting the sector’s growing importance under President Bukele’s administration.
Valdez emphasized that “regenerative tourism not only protects nature but also strengthens communities and promotes collective well-being. Tourism is a powerful value chain — behind every hotel or restaurant there are families, artisans, guides, transporters, and entrepreneurs who benefit directly.”
She also underscored that 75% of tourism companies in El Salvador are small and medium-sized enterprises, highlighting the importance of financial education and access to credit for their growth and sustainability.
Through spaces like Club Sustentable, El Salvador continues to position itself as a regional leader in sustainable tourism and community development, fostering a model that balances economic growth with environmental care and social inclusion.
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El Salvador Invests Over $1 Billion to Boost Social Welfare and Development in 2026 Budget
The Government of El Salvador has earmarked more than $1 billion for social programs in its 2026 General State Budget, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive development and the well-being of its citizens.
According to Finance Minister Jerson Posada, the $1,002.7 million fund will directly benefit vulnerable sectors across health, education, and economic development. “The fund for social programs included in the budget is $1,002.7 million, which will directly benefit the population,” Posada stated during his presentation to the Legislative Assembly’s Finance and Special Budget Committee.
A significant portion—$717.8 million, or 71.6% of the total—has been allocated to education. This includes initiatives such as My New School with $591.5 million, teacher professionalization ($7.5 million), school health and nutrition programs ($20.4 million), and early childhood development centers ($261.6 million). Additionally, $301.1 million will fund education-related investment projects, including the expansion of infrastructure and modernization of schools nationwide.
The health sector will receive $6.4 million for the Integrated Health Program, aimed at strengthening access to primary care and improving public health outcomes.
Other allocations target social inclusion and poverty reduction. The government has set aside $35.1 million for programs promoting local economic development and violence prevention, $24.9 million for care of the elderly and persons with disabilities, and $10.1 million for youth development and victim compensation programs.
In recognition of the nation’s veterans, $185.7 million is budgeted for the care of former combatants, alongside $5.9 million for the agricultural bonus and $5.9 million for the Ciudad Mujer program, which supports women’s empowerment and access to social services.
Additional investments include $5.2 million for the comprehensive development of El Mozote and surrounding communities, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen reconciliation, social justice, and regional progress.
This robust investment in social programs underlines El Salvador’s commitment to inclusive growth, education, and poverty reduction, while ensuring that every segment of society benefits from the country’s economic transformation.
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Gold for El Salvador’s “Cero Ocio” Inmates at 2025 Prison Chess Championship
El Salvador has achieved an extraordinary milestone in the 2025 Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners, earning gold and silver medals through the rehabilitation initiative Plan Cero Ocio.
The El Salvador women’s chess team secured the gold medal, proudly taking first place worldwide, while the men’s team earned the silver medal, positioning El Salvador among the top two nations in this global competition.
This achievement was made possible thanks to the coordinated efforts of the General Directorate of Penal Centers, led by Osiris Luna Meza, and the continuous support of the National Institute of Sports of El Salvador (INDES) and its president, Yamil Bukele. Their joint vision promotes sports as a tool for rehabilitation and social reintegration within the penitentiary system.
The competition, organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in collaboration with the Salvadoran Chess Federation, highlights El Salvador’s growing international presence in both sports and social transformation.
With these historic victories, El Salvador reaffirms its commitment to offering second chances through education, discipline, and the power of the mind. ♟️
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El Salvador Continues Strengthening Security with New Mitigation Works in Vulnerable Area
The Government of El Salvador, under the leadership of President Nayib Bukele, continues to advance its strategy to reduce risks and safeguard the well-being of Salvadoran families. As part of these ongoing efforts, the Minister of Public Works, Romeo Rodríguez Herrera, delivered new mitigation works in the Los Santos 1 district, located in Soyapango, San Salvador Este.
These projects are part of the administration’s comprehensive plan to strengthen infrastructure and ensure the safety of communities vulnerable to natural hazards. “Taking action to strengthen security and prevent risks is one of our main priorities. We are committed to guaranteeing peace of mind and protection for Salvadoran families,” Minister Rodríguez Herrera emphasized.
Through these initiatives, the government reaffirms its commitment to building resilient communities and promoting sustainable urban development, ensuring that every Salvadoran can live in safer and more stable environments.
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El Salvador’s 2026 Agricultural Budget Prioritizes Supply Centers and Rural Growth.
El Salvador’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) has allocated $52.9 million in its 2026 draft budget to coordinate agro-markets and supply centers across the country, aiming to strengthen food security and rural development.
According to the proposal under review by the Legislative Assembly, the funds will support the efficient operation of agro-markets, central supply hubs, and strategic market networks that promote sustainable agricultural and forestry development. The initiative represents a shift from the 2025 budget, which dedicated $23 million to agricultural input packages for grain production.
The new allocation also includes resources to maintain a strategic agricultural reserve and improve the logistical and commercial connectivity of national production. In July, legislators approved an additional $20 million for MAG to open new agro-markets and a central supply hub in Usulután.
Deputy Minister Óscar Domínguez explained that agro-markets serve between 500 and 1,200 people daily, with an average wait time of 15 to 20 minutes. “These spaces allow Salvadorans to access quality products at fair prices, while supporting local producers,” he said.
MAG currently operates over 60 agro-markets nationwide, offering fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meats. Two central supply centers are in operation—one in Soyapango and another in Usulután.
The draft budget also assigns $4 million to the Salvadoran Coffee Institute to strengthen national coffee policy and reforest coffee-growing areas, plus $10 million for the Coffee Forest Climate Resilience Program to boost sustainable production amid climate challenges.
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El Salvador Prepares for Record Cruise Season and Expanding Port Operations.
El Salvador is gearing up for its largest cruise season in history, with 20 ships scheduled to dock at the ports of Acajutla and La Unión, announced Federico Anliker, president of the Autonomous Port Executive Commission (CEPA). “This will be the biggest cruise season in the country’s history. We already have 20 cruises planned for both ports,” Anliker said during an interview on Frente a Frente.
The figure marks a significant increase from the seven cruises projected earlier this year by Tourism Minister Morena Valdez. The cruise season, which began in October, runs through June, coinciding with the colder months in Europe and North America. Between January and May 2025, the Ministry of Tourism expects four vessels to arrive, whose passengers will visit destinations such as the Santa Ana volcano, Cerro Verde, Joya de Cerén, and the historic center of San Salvador.
According to the Central American Tourism Integration Secretariat (SITCA), El Salvador hosted only one cruise in 2024 with more than 1,200 passengers, compared to 23 vessels and 18,000 visitors the previous year. Meanwhile, neighboring Guatemala expects 45 ships this season, and Panama has scheduled 195 Canal transits.
Beyond cruises, La Unión Port is emerging as a regional hub for vehicle transport. Since March, the Pacific Port Union (UPDP)—a partnership between CEPA and Yilport—has reactivated the facility, handling 50 roll-on/roll-off ships and boosting operations that had been underused since the port’s opening in 2019. “We’re building a vehicle logistics hub where cars arrive for El Salvador, and we aim to attract more from Honduras and Nicaragua due to our strategic location,” Anliker explained.
La Unión Port also handles fertilizer shipments and fishing vessels, further strengthening its role in El Salvador’s expanding maritime logistics network.
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Motorsport Thrills Return to El Salvador with the GT Challenge of the Americas.
El Salvador continues to establish itself as a prime destination for major international sporting events, driven by the country’s security and stability under the current administration. This weekend, the GT Challenge of the Americas will arrive in the country with the Grand Prix El Jabalí, bringing together top drivers from across the region and thousands of motorsport enthusiasts.
Alejandra Durán, executive director of the Salvadoran Tourism Corporation (Corsatur), highlighted the importance of the event during a press conference. “This is an event that excites us all in El Salvador. It’s not just the private sector’s effort; governments must also get involved because this is a commitment to position our country on this international platform,” she said.
Durán emphasized national pride in hosting such a prestigious event. “Competitions like this are held in places like Monaco or Indianapolis. We should feel proud to have it here, in the smallest country in Central America, but one that stands tall,” she added.
Alejandro Zaid, director of the GT Challenge of the Americas, expressed gratitude to the Salvadoran government and sponsors. “It’s an honor to return to El Salvador. This is the biggest and most important motorsport event in Central America and the Caribbean. We have drivers from the United States, Venezuela, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic,” he said.
The International Autodrome El Jabalí will serve as the epicenter of this high-adrenaline competition. The event further demonstrates El Salvador’s growing capacity to host world-class sporting events, backed by modern infrastructure and robust security measures that have transformed the country into one of the region’s most attractive destinations for sports tourism.
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El Salvador Pushes for Clean Energy Independence Through New Tax-Free Initiative.
El Salvador’s Minister of Environment, Fernando López, has submitted to the Legislative Assembly a new Law to Promote the Use of Renewable Energy, which would grant full tax exemptions on the import, sale, installation, and maintenance of renewable energy generation systems.
Under the proposal, the fiscal benefits would remain in force for ten years. Both suppliers and end users would qualify for these incentives, provided they register as taxpayers. End users would also be able to deduct from their taxable income the expenses related to the purchase or installation of renewable systems.
The Superintendency of Electricity and Telecommunications (SIGET) would oversee the regulation of requirements for both providers and users, establish a catalog of approved systems, and issue a tariff schedule for surplus energy injected into the national grid. SIGET would have 60 days to issue the corresponding regulations once the law is approved.
xr:d:DAE6bvo8RYg:613,j:39384859067,t:22102822 It is essential to create a legislative framework that truly encourages the transition to clean energy, the government stated, noting that existing regulations since 2017 allow users to feed excess energy into the grid but do not include fiscal incentives.
If approved, the law would exempt renewable energy operations from income tax, value-added tax (VAT), and import duties for a decade, positioning El Salvador as a regional leader in promoting sustainable and decentralized energy generation.
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Construction Begins on El Salvador’s $11 Million Airport Cargo Upgrade to Double Capacity.
El Salvador continues its strong commitment to modernizing and transforming its airport terminals to become a first-class regional logistics hub. Today, the Autonomous Port Executive Commission (CEPA) laid the foundation stone for the expansion and modernization of the air cargo terminal at the San Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport. The project, led by Adimex El Salvador—CEPA’s strategic partner—represents an investment of nearly $11 million.
According to CEPA president Federico Anliker, “Under the expansion plan, once the terminal reaches 47,000 metric tons per year, the second phase of the project will begin, involving almost $50 million in investment for the design, construction, and operation of a new terminal capable of handling over 73,000 metric tons annually.”
The expansion includes the construction of eight cargo docks, maneuvering yards, high-capacity scales, eight cold rooms, a monitoring center, a fire protection network, automated cargo handling systems, new X-ray equipment, a rainwater tank, and dock enclosures for weather protection.
Adimex El Salvador’s general manager, Mauricio Pocasangre, stated, “We have a government that supports, promotes, and seeks global projection. We aim to become the heartbeat of the Americas through all these advantages and establish a new regional air cargo hub.”
This strategic investment will double the airport’s cargo capacity from 26,000 to 52,000 metric tons annually, enhancing service to meet growing demand. Through such initiatives, President Bukele’s administration continues to position El Salvador as a modern, competitive nation with higher efficiency in exports and logistics operations.