New SIECA Secretary General sees potential for Central America as economic bloc

Alden Rivera Montes, the newly appointed Secretary General of the Central American Integration System (SIECA), expressed confidence in Central America's potential to emerge as a significant global economic bloc. With a combined population of 55 million, Rivera Montes believes the region can consolidate its position as an important market, provided there is a renewed effort to foster a unified regional identity rather than viewing the nations as independent entities.

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Currently, Central America is economically viewed as independent countries and not as a region as a bloc.

"Currently, Central America is economically viewed as independent countries and not as a region as a bloc," Rivera Montes stated in an interview with EFE. He emphasized that becoming identified as a joint economic territory is "feasible" through a "relunched and retaken effort" to "recover that Central American identity." He highlighted that the region's combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is equivalent to the fifth largest in the Americas, enabling it to compete on a global scale.

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It is feasible to be identified as a joint economic territory through an effort that must be relaunched and retaken, so that we recover that Central American identity.

Rivera Montes, who began his four-year term in May, outlined his priorities: enhancing the speed and reducing the costs associated with commercial transport of goods across the isthmus. Current data on average transport speed is a decade old, indicating a sluggish 18-19 kilometers per hour. "The challenges here are two, and only two, no more: reduce waiting times at border points and reduce costs for importers and exporters who trade in Central America," he explained.

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The challenges here are two, and only two, no more: reduce waiting times at border points and reduce costs for importers and exporters who trade in Central America.

He warned that persistent long queues of containers at border crossings indicate a failure to meet SIECA's objectives. "When those queues are reduced, then SIECA can celebrate and give ourselves a pat on the back," he remarked. While more precise data on transport speed is expected in the second half of the year, Rivera Montes deemed the current average speed "very low," even when compared to countries with less infrastructure. He also stressed the fundamental role of technology in optimizing intra-regional trade, urging the private sector to more actively utilize the tools SIECA has implemented.

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If the lines of containers continue at the border points as they are currently manifesting, it means that we are not achieving the purposes for which SIECA was created. The moment those lines are reduced, then SIECA can celebrate and give ourselves a pat on the back.