The cooperation agenda between Guatemala and Italy is based on the Agreement for Technical Cooperation, ratified on 19 May 1987, and on the Agreement for Cultural and Scientific Cooperation, ratified on 10 January 2007.

Italy provides opportunities for Guatemalans to complete specialization studies in Italy in different areas, including the Italian language.  In this light, the Italy- Latin America Institute (IILA in Spanish) offers courses in agricultural food and food technology, environmental sustainability, renewable energies, life sciences, biotechnology, conservation, as well as protection and restauration of cultural heritage.

Furthermore, international cooperation and development aid has become a fundamental basis of Guatemalan foreign policy in the last decades. In 2020, the global agenda of progress was fed by a strong international cooperation dynamism to adequately respond to multiple challenges posed by the Covid-19 global health crisis, especially regarding the negative effects caused by economic growth and development.

The vision of the current Guatemalan administration is to position the National Development Priorities (PND in Spanish) and the government pillars as guiding principles of development aid.  Therefore, during 2020, cooperation partners have supported implementation of the actions found in the General Government Policy (PFF in Spanish 2020-2024).

The World Bank has classified Guatemala (2018-2019) as a high middle-income country, considering its economic income level and other social development factors.  Even though Guatemala has reached economic stability in the last few years, poverty and inequality indexes are high and affect a large part of its population.  Therefore, cooperation strives to respond to the new challenges that Guatemala currently faces as a high middle-income country.

It is worth mentioning that Italy is part of the Donor Group G-13, which is a coordinating body that combines efforts between countries, bilateral and multilateral agencies. It is made up of nine of the countries that provide most resources to Guatemala when it comes to cooperation.  For more information, please visit the G-13 website: www.g13.org.gt

To get to know the activities, strategies and projects financed by the Government of Italy in Central America and the Caribbean, please visit the website of the Office of the Italian Cooperation in Guatemala: www.cooperaitalia.org.