USTDA FUNDS ASSISTANCE FOR PANAMA BAY CLEANUP PROJECT

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA (August 25, 2004) – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) announces the award of a $101,517 grant to the Panamanian Ministry of Health for technical assistance related to the Panama Bay Cleanup project.  USTDA Director Thelma J. Askey and Panama’s Minister of Health, Dr. Fernando J. Gracia, signed an agreement conferring the grant on behalf of the U.S. and Panamanian Governments, respectively. 

The Government of Panama has prioritized the cleaning of Panama Bay.  As a result, the Panama Bay Cleanup project is being developed to rehabilitate the Panama City metropolitan area’s existing sanitary sewer system and to construct new sanitary sewer collectors, pump stations and sewage treatment plants.

The USTDA grant will be used to develop two construction phases for project implementation, in compliance with International Monetary Fund financing requirements, and in-depth analysis of the best combination of facilities to construct in each phase.  The grant follows an award that USTDA made in 2002 to prepare an implementation plan focused on a one-phased approach. 

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries.  The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment.  USTDA’s strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development.  In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.