The Diplomat
The State Secretary for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eva Granados, is in El Salvador this week to participate in the celebrations of 40 years of Spanish Cooperation in the country and 25 years since the establishment of relations between Spain and the Central American Integration System (SICA).
The commemoration of 40 years of Spanish Cooperation in the country took place this Tuesday, May 26, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, with the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, Alexandra Hill Tinoco. During the event, the State Secretary presented a copy of the commemorative book marking the 40th anniversary of Spanish Cooperation in El Salvador, which details its main achievements since 1986.
In her remarks, Alexandra Hill emphasized the importance of Spain’s aid through cooperation and humanitarian assistance, especially during “crucial moments” for the country, such as the 1986 earthquake, Hurricane Mitch, the armed conflict, and the 2001 earthquakes, among others.
Over these forty years, she stated, “the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) has supported various projects that have had a real impact on the population, reflected in the faces and stories of dignity found in every corner of our territory.” She also expressed her gratitude for Spain’s support since the signing of the Country Partnership Framework, which has helped create a more efficient state, a more cohesive and just society, and an inclusive economy based on the unwavering principles of shared responsibility and mutual respect.
For her part, Eva Granados emphasized that the progress reflected in the publication is the result of the commitment and effort of the Salvadoran people and their institutions. She underscored the work of all actors involved in Spanish Cooperation, especially Spanish NGOs, whose efforts have allowed cooperation to reach the population directly and effectively and are an inseparable part of the history and achievements of Spanish Cooperation in the country.
“I thank El Salvador for a cooperative relationship based on dialogue, mutual respect, and trust,” she stated. This commemoration, she added, not only aims to “celebrate what has been achieved, but also to reaffirm our understanding of cooperation—a cooperation that listens, learns from transformation processes, and accompanies transformation processes with a commitment to permanence and to placing people at the center.”
Prior to this event, the delegation headed by State Secretary Eva Granados held a working meeting with Vice Minister Adriana Mira and her team, in which the main issues of cooperation relations between Spain and El Salvador were addressed.
Cooperation projects
Tuesday’s activities concluded with a site visit to a water and sanitation project in the Suchitoto district, financed by the AECID’s Water and Sanitation Cooperation Fund (FCAS). Since 2009, with FCAS support, eight programs and projects have been implemented, benefiting more than 335,000 people, with an approximate investment of 70 million euros, and mobilizing additional resources worth nearly 28 million euros. The delegation also toured the historic center of Suchitoto, a district closely linked to the work of Spanish Cooperation in the field of heritage for development, such as the restoration of the Church of Santa Lucía and the rehabilitation of the municipal hall and the Suchitoto market, which were carried out within the framework of the Historic Center Master Plan and with the participation of the Suchitoto School-Workshop.
This Wednesday will mark the second and final day of the visit, beginning with a meeting at the Spanish Cooperation Office between the State Secretary and Spanish NGOs. The aim is to gain firsthand knowledge of their work and exchange views on the challenges and opportunities for Spanish Cooperation to continue working for the benefit of the Salvadoran population.
Afterward, the delegation will travel to the SICA headquarters, where they will meet with the Executive Director of the General Secretariat, as well as with the Vice Minister of Economic Affairs and International Cooperation of the Dominican Republic, which holds the pro tempore presidency of the system this semester. Following the meeting, a commemorative event celebrating relations between Spain and SICA will take place, during which the publication “25 Years of Spain-SICA Cooperation” will be presented.
Finally, the Spanish delegation will travel to the Central American University José Simeón Cañas (UCA), where the State Secretary will lay a floral offering in memory of the “martyrs of the UCA” murdered on November 16, 1989, and will hold a meeting with the rector of the UCA and his team with the aim of addressing the projects that the AECID develops with the university in the cultural, academic and cooperation field.
