A portfolio of 31 companies with interest in investing in the country has identified the Mineco, which would be specified by US $ 1,648 million in investment.
The Minister of Economy Gabriela García said that according to the investment attraction portfolio that has updated to March 10, 2025, of the companies interested in coming to the country that have given them information in this regard, 31 active companies have been identified, which have an investment potential of US $ 1,648 million, and the projection of generating 10 thousand 776 direct jobs.
According to that portfolio, 35.3%, it comes from Latin America; 20.6%of Europe; 19.1% of the United States; 19.1% of Asia; 4.4% of Canada; and 1.5% of Africa.
As explained by the official are companies that are asking for information, they express them the interest of reaching Guatemala, they request that they be helped to identify geographical places where they could install their investments. Although there are others, outside these that do not provide information, but they maintain interest in the country, “usually the levels of confidentiality are high and at the time they decide to come is when it can, with much relevance, give the concrete information of the amount of the investments,” he added.
A period of between 12 to 18 months is estimated to be completed, it was added.
Interest grows in the country, according to Mineco
The minister presented on Monday, March 10, that the work that was done as a government and as a country in 2024 now results in better indicators of democracy, better gender indicators and that despite the challenges that can be observed in the commercial and geopolitical issue, a substantial increase in the interest of foreign companies from coming to Guatemala is being seen.
Through the Pro Guatemala National Agency, it is the one that channels the investment attraction efforts, with efforts that are not dispersed but focused on those economic sectors where Guatemala is good and where there is already a record, both national and foreign investment.
The prioritized sectors are:
- In the short term: processed foods, non -alcoholic, chemical, pharmaceutical, costumes and textile, tic´sy software, business services in Contact Center and BPO.
- In the medium term (from 3 to 4 years): Shared Services Center, Electric-Electronic Sector (such as Auto Padgets), Health Services, Manufactures and others.
- In the long term (more than 4 years): Biotechnology, medical devices and equipment, components and electronic equipment, and information technology for advanced manufacturing.
Priority focus markets are:
- In America: United States, Mexico, Central America, Chile, Colombia,
- In Europe: Netherlands, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom.
- In Asia: Taiwan, India, Korea and Japan.
According to the official, apart from the aforementioned advances, companies see the country as a favorable investment destination, where certainty and legal certainty has increased, and that the investment intentions of the companies measure them for the interest shown and the growth in the visit of delegations, since only last week an American mission and another of South Korea were attended.
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“The fact that they come to the country is already a step, we are saying half of the way is won, but one thing is to convince them of Guatemala and the other is that they come,” said the minister explaining that when an entrepreneur or executive comes, there is talk that at least 50% has been advanced in that possibility that they effectively come to the country.
Despite the issues that are now being seen from the tariff and decisions of the United States, there has been no inconvenience, but “many US companies are turning to see the country because they see us as a region, not only Guatemala, but the rest of Central America,” said the minister.
THE MAPO OF PROJECTS OF 2024
According to Mineco information, provided at the end of 2024, there is also a more expanded portfolio that includes a projection of investment potential for US $ 2 thousand 707.3 million, between 1 to 4 years, in which at least 54 projects were identified in five sectors.
Among these 3 of agribusiness, for a potential of US $ 100 million, from Israel, Nicaragua and the United States.
Two in commerce, for US $ 725 million, from the United States.
Two more in infrastructure for US $ 82 million, with projects from Colombia and Holland.
In addition, 40 in manufacturing, for US $ 1,479.8 million, from Germany, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Spain, the United States, India, Japan, Mexico, Poland, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Ireland, Switzerland.
And, seven others, in the Services segment for US $ 320.5 million, with projects from Colombia, the United States, Taiwan and Mexico.
The data of the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat) as of September 2024 were registered US $ 1,235.2 million of foreign direct investment (FDI), and the Ministry estimates that the year closed with US $ 1,650 million.
Challenges on several ways
Juan Carlos Zapata, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Development of Guatemala (Fundesa) mentions the advances and challenges that still have the country for investment attraction.
He said that the country that improving in some aspects which has been reflected in the evaluations of the risk ratingers which have improved their perspective on Guatemala, which a positive.
In addition, it refers that the FDI is growing, since by 2025 it is expected to close around US $ 1,815 million.
However, there are still challenges in infrastructure and modernization and digitalization of procedures, which need to continue working to improve investment attraction.
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In infrastructure, for example, the route to the Pacific, which is where most industrial parks are practically collapsed which greatly limits the attraction of business investment because logistics costs are triggered when it is experienced how much it costs to travel from one point to another in the country.
As for the procedures, the country still has to digitize many processes, including various authorizations and licenses.
When talking about legal certainty, he said that it is affected when the certainty is not considered in the procedures and approvals. “Legal certainty is like the umbrella, where legal certainty issues enter, of everything that has to do with a lack of procedure digitalization.”
An example is how much it costs a pharmacist who approves the registration of a medically, or the different licenses for constructions, he mentioned.
When asked about the data difference regarding investment projects among those mentioned in June 2024 by the Government when the investment attraction strategy was presented and the data provided this March 10, Zapata refers that it may installed in the country.
It may also be that some potential projects or interested parties detected in 2024 no longer occurred or followed in the process, which, it describes as very normal since some have no communication with the government, but believes that the important thing is that IED will continue to grow.