The Secretaría Ejecutiva del Consejo Monetario Centroamericano (SECMCA) attended the invitation of the Parlamento Centroamericano (PARLACEN) to participate as a panelist in the “Economic Forum on investment and growth prospects for the region” in the city of San Salvador, El Salvador, within the framework of the plenary session of said body.

On behalf of the SECMCA, the Executive Undersecretary, Mr. Joaquín Pinto Medrano, spoke about the institutional perspectives that have contributed to macroeconomic stability and the dynamism of trade policies in the region. During his speech, he highlighted the work of the statistical committees and working groups in the region’s statistical harmonization, the operability of the SIPA and its importance in cross-border payments.

The opportunities presented by the region in the current context to boost regional economic growth were also discussed. The positive dynamics of the Central American economies were highlighted, characterized by sustained growth, inflation within the tolerance range and a moderate impact in the event of a possible economic slowdown in the region’s main trading partner, the United States.

The main economic challenges facing the region were also discussed. Among them, the impact of climate change on the economies of Central America and the Dominican Republic was highlighted, as well as the need to strengthen cybersecurity and information protection, as an important key aspect to mitigate the vulnerability of financial systems to possible cyber attacks.