Start of expansion works on the coastal highway with the construction of housing for resettled families
Words of Martha Sweet-Keays Country Resident Director of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
March 12, 2018
La Paz
Good morning to all.
It is a great honor to be here with you today, following along this path of implementating the Agreement between the United States and El Salvador, which I am sure will lead communities towards prosperity.
Almost two-and-a-half years ago, El Salvador and the United States officially signed this second cooperation agreement, for more than $365 million. Some $277 million of that investment is provided by the Government of the United States through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC for its acronym in English).
Highway expansion is one of the main activities of the Logistics Infrastructure project, which is aimed at reducing the costs of logistics and transport in order to improve investment and productivity in the trade of goods and services. That is to say, this work is key to advancing the economic growth of El Salvador and is a strategic bet on improving its competitiveness.
We hope to continue maintaining the pace of work together, as time is pressing and the road must be expanded and ready no later than September 2020, when FOMILENIO II ends.
And a concrete example of our pace of work step is the step we will take this day to begin construction of housing for the 22 families with whom, less than a year ago, we were celebrating the delivery of their property titles.
We began with the vision of improving El Salvador’s productivity and competitiveness, but also of changing lives and giving more and better opportunities.
We firmly believe that economic growth programs can create better living conditions and opportunities for the Salvadoran people.
I want to thank all the members of the great Salvadoran-American joint team, and all our partners in the government who are implementing this great project for the country. The work that they have done so far has brought us closer to our objectives of promoting a more favorable climate for business and investment.
We will continue working together in this challenge for the prosperity for all. I ask you to continue fighting for the future of this wonderful country. And, as always, count on us.
Thank you very much.
