The Spanish Exporters and Investors Club and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) organized an exclusive breakfast meeting for Club members to discuss and analyze the construction and infrastructure sector and the business opportunities offered by El Salvador and the Dominican Republic for Spanish companies.

In order to learn more about the construction and infrastructure sector and its opportunities, attendees were able to learn privileged information from Nelson Reyes, Vice Minister of Public Works and Transport of El Salvador; René Nuñez, Director of Public Works Planning in El Salvador; Raúl Guillermo Castaneda Trabanino, head of CABEI’s office in El Salvador; and Manuel Ogando, head of CABEI’s office in the Dominican Republic. Both the Vice Minister and the Director of Public Works Planning shared key characteristics and the sector’s portfolio of the construction and infrastructure sectors in El Salvador, while CABEI officials shared the projects being carried out by their organization in both countries.

In Latin America, 86.5% of the population is expected to live in cities by 2030, making it the most urbanized region of the developing world. Currently, around 80% of the population lives in cities; this generates needs for the countries in the region, especially in the construction and infrastructure sector. It is vital for governments to solve problems related to the population’s lack of access to public transport or the efficiency of their rail and urban infrastructure, and those related to the population living in slums within cities. This is why projects are being drawn up by both governments and supranational organizations to address the challenges of urbanization.

After the talk, a colloquium was opened with the attendees in which they were able to resolve doubts and exchange impressions.