Independent Evaluation Services in Support of the El Salvador Investment Climate Project and the Guatemala Public–Private Partnership Activity

The compact financed $277 million in large-scale improvements in human capital, the investment climate, and logistical infrastructure. One of three large-scale projects in the compact, the El Salvador Investment Climate Project, will invest nearly $41 million to boost the productivity of the tradable sector by improving the regulatory and business-enabling environment and increasing private investment in public goods. The project comprises two activities: the Regulatory Improvement Activity (RIA) and the Partnership Development Activity (PDA). The RIA helped set up an institution to analyze and propose changes to regulations impacting businesses. The PDA consists of two subactivities: the El Salvador Investment Challenge (ESIC, or Apuesta por InversionES) and the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) activity. ESIC is a challenge grant aimed at catalyzing private sector investment for public goods. The PPP activity aims to provide capacity building and technical assistance to structure and manage PPPs. Similarly, in Guatemala, MCC has signed a threshold program that includes the Strengthening the Capacity to Form Private–Public Partnerships activity.