USTDA places a high priority on Latin America and the Caribbean, and works with qualified project sponsors to facilitate the implementation of priority infrastructure and development projects.

USTDA focuses its activities in strategic sectors that offer the greatest opportunity for developmental and commercial impact. These strategic sectors include clean energy, transportation, and telecommunications. Other sectors of interest include agribusiness and water and environment.

The following provides a representative sample of USTDA initiatives and activities in the region.

Clean Energy

Clean Energy Finance Facility for the Caribbean and Central America (CEFF-CCA): CEFF-CCA is an innovative, collaborative financing mechanism that brings together U.S. government expertise and resources in order to catalyze greater public and private sector investment in clean energy infrastructure in the Caribbean and Central America. The four U.S. government partners under the Facility are the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Under the Facility, USTDA will leverage its project planning expertise and early-stage funding to support activities to encourage investment in clean energy projects. The Facility will help promising but undercapitalized projects address key planning and feasibility issues that are critical to successful financing and implementation.

Intelligent Supervision and Advanced Control System (iSAAC) for the Colombian Transmission Grid: USTDA is providing a grant to XM Compañía de Expertos en Mercados S.A. E.S.P., the system operator and market administrator of the Colombian power grid, to fund a sole-sourced technical assistance to design a conceptual Wide Area Measurement System (WAMS) for the Colombian power grid and to define a road map for its implementation. The iSAAC project will involve the use of synchronized phasor measurement units and associated hardware at substations, along with system design work to improve the ability to monitor and control the national electrical grid in Colombia.

Baja California Wind Power Project: In support of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) and the U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change, USTDA is funding a feasibility study for the State Government of Baja California to enable the supply of wind power to state government office buildings and facilities.

Aviation

U.S. – Brazil Aviation Partnership: A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the United States and Brazil in April 2012, officially launching the U.S.-Brazil Aviation Partnership. The Partnership's objectives are to provide a coordinated and structured vehicle between the Brazilian and U.S. aviation sectors to address mutual aviation sector priorities, to share expertise on industry best practices, to enhance technical capacity, and to develop technology solutions to aviation sector challenges. A series of technical visits, workshops and conferences are scheduled to take place in either the United States or Brazil.

Master Plan Update for Bogota International Airport (BOG): This technical assistance grant to the Special Administrative Unit for Civil Aeronautics (Aerocivil) addressed planning for phased development at BOG over the next 30 years. The technical assistance included a workshop regarding terminal technology and security improvements that highlighted U.S. sources of supply.

Telecommunications

Rio de Janeiro State Government Information Technology Modernization and Integration: USTDA is providing a grant to the Rio de Janeiro State Information Technology Company (PRODERJ) of Brazil for technical assistance that will design the road map and implementation plan for a new data center in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The grant will also fund an information technology infrastructure review for the state government.