Alliance for Root Causes and Opportunities (ARCO)
Every day, people from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras leave their homes to embark on a perilous journey through Mexico to the United States, driven by both a lack of employment opportunities and the impacts of climate change. To address the root causes of irregular migration stemming from the region, the United States and Mexican governments launched a joint collaboration framework called “Sembrando Oportunidades” in December 2021. Earlier that year, both governments signed a memorandum of understanding to carry out international cooperation in development in development, which resulted in the collaboration framework.
Funded by USAID/Mexico, the Alliance for Root Causes and Opportunities (ARCO) activity aims to deepen USAID’s strategic partnership with AMEXCID by addressing the factors that influence irregular migration to the United States, also referred to as the “root causes.” The activity works closely with AMEXCID to support the agency’s work for youth and farmers by providing sustainable economic opportunities in northern Central America through workforce development and agricultural promotion. Additionally, ARCO fosters exchanges and development of best practices between USAID and AMEXCID by providing training in good agricultural practices and business skills as well as promoting climate-smart techniques. It also provides technical expertise to maximize resources and align the migration priorities from both governments.
By strengthening both agencies’ workforce development and agriculture initiatives in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, individuals will have improved economic opportunities at home and will be less likely to migrate from their countries of origin.
