Donor countries and organizations hailed the efforts of the Guatemalan government in implementing that country's peace accords at a September meeting in the colonial capital of Antigua.
The meeting was attended by more than 100 delegates representing 30 donor countries and 20 international organizations. Also attending were representatives from each of the sectors of Guatemalan society that helped forge the peace accords. The meeting was called by the IDB as a follow-up to a previous gathering in Brussels.
While praising the country's progress, donors also emphasized the need to increase fiscal revenues, modernize the judicial sector, resolve land tenure issues and further strengthen the ability of local governments to implement projects.
The IDB plans to lend Guatemala some $800 million over the next four years to finance social sector projects, modernization of the state, infrastructure and private sector development, according to Miguel E. Martínez, the IDB operational manager who chaired the Antigua meeting.