President Bernardo Arevalo’s administration marks a promising era of positive transformation for Guatemala, setting the stage for significant investment and partnership opportunities. Elevating Guatemala’s economic trajectory hinges on the strategic attraction of both foreign and domestic investments. At the same time, the recent announcement of the US-Guatemala High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) represents a critical opportunity and appetite to deepen economic ties, fostering enhanced collaboration and support from international partners.

In what ways can Guatemala’s government foster an environment that encourages economic growth and development? What role does public and private sector collaboration play in fostering economic opportunities and attracting foreign investment? And how can the High-Level Economic Dialogue enhance US and Guatemalan efforts and synchronize their strategies for economic-related goals, including those pertaining to nearshoring?

A month into President Bernardo Arevalo’s presidency, the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center and Fundación para el Desarrollo de Guatemala (FUNDESA) hosted a conversation—live from Guatemala—on fostering greater US-Guatemala economic cooperation in the years ahead.