GT COMPETITIVENESS PROJECT

The purpose of the Guatemala National Competitiveness Program (PRONACOM), a public-private partnership under the Comisionado de Inversion y Competitividad and the Ministry of Economy, is to advance the nation's international competitive standing and accelerate its economic growth. The Project aims to advance the Programs objective as well as those of the nation's Peace Accords Especially the two Accords on the Identity and Rights of the Indigenous People (March 31, 1995, Mexico City) and on Socioeconomic Aspects and the Agrarian Situation (May 6, 1996, Mexico City), by helping primarily small and micro businesses to generate higher income and reduce high rates of poverty in Guatemala. To do so, the proposed Project supports a diversified and mutually reinforcing set of initiatives on two levels: (a) in the business environment, seek to increase the competitiveness of product and factor markets via regulatory changes and new public-private institutional partnerships in the areas of: (i) domestic competition, (ii) foreign investment, (iii) in-firm skills training and information; and (iv) product quality infrastructure; and (b) at the firm level, aim to broaden micro- and small business participation in national economic growth by (i) promoting increased investment in firm-level pre-competitive learning and innovation, (ii) piloting service and delivery innovation in information technology-based business development services (BDS), and (iii) expanding business development clusters and social responsibility.