Under Secretary Lago to Travel to El Salvador and Costa Rica to Advance Commercial Partnerships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
Email: publicaffairs@trade.gov
Phone: 202-482-3809

WASHINGTON - Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago will travel to El Salvador and Costa Rica from November 8-14, 2023, to advance bilateral partnerships to foster increased trade and investment, strengthen the business environment and promote U.S. company solutions for digital opportunities in Latin America.

In San Salvador, El Salvador, Under Secretary Lago will meet with government officials and industry representatives to discuss key priorities in the U.S.-El Salvador bilateral relationship, including collaborating on the business environment and the digital economy. She will also visit a recycling and manufacturing plant to learn about an innovative Salvadoran company that is looking to invest in the United States. Later, she will participate in a roundtable discussion focused on supporting women in trade hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in El Salvador.

She will meet with Minister of Economy Maria Luisa Hayem, Secretary of Commerce and Investment Miguel Kattan and others to learn about El Salvador’s digital regulatory environment and discuss tools to facilitate trade and economic growth.

On November 11, Under Secretary Lago will travel to San Jose, Costa Rica, where she will meet with senior government officials to discuss ways the U.S. government can strengthen collaboration in the digital economy, cybersecurity and health technology sectors. She will also participate in a roundtable discussion with U.S. and local businesses on the creation of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP) Center for Excellence to discuss bilateral efforts to strengthen supply chain resiliency and support economic growth in critical digital technology sectors.

Under Secretary Lago will also visit Boeing’s facility to see their partnership with Costa Rica-based maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider COOPESA and learn how they are working to meet global demand in the air cargo shipping industry. She will meet with other U.S. companies to learn about their work to supply U.S. medical devices and pharmaceuticals to Costa Rica and the region.  She will also discuss with women business leaders how the U.S. government can create an enabling business environment for women leaders and preview the upcoming U.S. Department of Commerce-led Women-Owned Businesses Trade Mission to Costa Rica in March 2024.

About the International Trade Administration
The International Trade Administration (ITA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce is the premier resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. Operating in more than 100 U.S. locations and 80 markets worldwide, ITA promotes trade and investment, assists U.S. businesses and workers to export and expand globally, and ensures fair trade and compliance by enforcing U.S. trade laws and agreements. For more information on ITA, visit www.trade.gov.