WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. businesses and social enterprises made commitments of over $1.2 billion to promote economic opportunity in Northern Central America, which helps support a broader strategy to address the root causes of migration. Vice President Kamala Harris announced these new commitments, as part of the Call to Action launched in May, at an event co-hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Department of State, and in collaboration with the Partnership for Central America (PCA) and the Office of the Vice President.
“At a time of great need in Central America, the U.S. business community is stepping up by providing critical resources, capacity, and expertise to support inclusive economic growth in the region,” said Myron Brilliant, Executive Vice President and Head of the International Affairs Division.
Vice President Kamala Harris announced the significant commitments made by CARE International, Cargill, Parkdale Mills, PepsiCo, JDE Peet’s, PriceSmart, Grupo Mariposa, Mastercard, Microsoft, and Nespresso. “The U.S. has an important role to play in addressing the root causes of migration, at the same time, our government cannot do its work alone,” she said. “Private sector has a direct and indirect impact, from job creation and financial inclusion to promotion good governance and rule of law.”
The event also featured high-level discussions on devising public-private approaches to addressing root causes of migration, and how best to catalyze private investment to grow opportunities in rural communities across Central America.
The U.S. Chamber, its member companies, and partner American Chambers of Commerce in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have been committed to generating economic growth and creating jobs in Northern Central America for decades. This included leading the successful effort in Washington to secure the landmark Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA), and partnering with the U.S. government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity for the Northern Triangle to drive private sector engagement and investment in the region.
