CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 02/2015

LE MONDE EL SALVADOR | INTERVIEW
Carmen M. Gallardo a.de Hernandez
“I do hope the Austrian flag will wave in El Salvador“
Interview: Rainer Himmelfreundpointner
INFO
El Salvador‘s Ambassador to Austria talks about
her past in Tyrol, the economic opportunities her
country has to offer and her desire to have more of
Austria in her home country.
Your Excellency, you have started your ambassadorship to
Austria in September 2014. Would you like to share your first
personal impressions of our country with us?
It is a great honour to have being appointed by my
Government as ambassador to Austria. It gives me
the possibility to deepen the long political relations
between our two countries and to enhance the commercial
links. On a personal basis I am rediscovering
Austria because as a student I used to come to Innsbruck.
I lived with a local family and had a chance to
explore how an Austria family keeps up with all its
traditions, sense of values and educational purposes.
Now I am looking to new perspectives for Salvadorean
and Austrian young generations to better get to
know each other.
Which steps would you especially outline in our relationship?
On a bilateral level our bonds go back to the times
of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. In the 60‘s we signed
the first modern diplomatic agreement following
a common vision on issues like human rights,
rule of law and gender. One agreement from 1960 for
example, is about visa suppression between El Salvador
and Austria. In 2007 our embassy in Vienna was
opened and we now have five concurrent countries
– Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
So Vienna was chosen as the centre of our bilateral
diplomatic representation. Austria has also
been performing a great job through the SOS Kinderdörfer
present in El Salvador since our internal
armed conflict in the 70‘s.
Are Austrian companies already investing in El Salvador as
well? Which of them or what kind of projects would you
especially mention?
Some Austrian companies, for example Emco,
have implemented dual educational programmes as
part of their social responsibility. Red Bull has its
products distributed through the beverage channel
distribution. Waagner-Biro is interested in presenting
its bid for infrastructure, in particular bridges.
PERSONAL DETAILS
PHOTOS: RALPH MANFREDA, MARIO PASCASSIO, BEIGESTELLT
BTW is exploring El Salvador‘s market for water purification.
Important Austrian coffee importers are
considering to include Salvadoran high quality coffee
in the near future. Tropical fruit, such as platano,
mango, papaya, have been requested by some of the
large Austrian food chain distribution. We are a
competitive cost country to set up or operate business
due to Salvadorean‘s labour force efficiency and
work ethic, as well as our strategic geographical location
due to the NAFTA (North American Free Trade
Agreement) facilitates for export to the United States,
Canada or Mexico. For more than 20 years El
Salvador has implemented reforms to modernize
and open its economy to global trade and investment.
We have now an export oriented free market
economy. The signing of free trade agreements with
major markets has opened new opportunities for our
country of 6.2 millions habitants, 24 billions US Dollars
GDP and a per capita income of 3,800.
Can you outline this in more detail and are there any
significant future projects in the pipeline?
El Salvador faces now an interesting new opportunity
through the Compact Millenium Account,
project sponsored by the US in the framework of the
Partnership for Growth destined to articulate efforts
between the public and private sector together with
civil society to create new sources of investments. El
Salvador has been for the second time elected as
country recipient, on this occasion „FOMILENIO
II“ (365 millions US Dollar) will cover in a five year
term projects to enhance human capital, logistical
infrastructure and investment opportunities. The agreement
between the US and El Salvador will contribute
to reduce poverty through economic development
along the Pacific coast. International companies
are invited to participate in international bids. I hope
to see Austrian companies present.
Which are the main commercial areas El Salvador already has
a strong basis for further investments?
El Salvador has a vertical integrated textile industry
with easy access to major markets. It offers attractive
investment opportunities for specialize textiles
and apparel companies. Renewable energy law provides
attractive tax incentive through the indicative
generation expansion plan 2010-2014. AEROMAN
which is a maintenance, repair and overhauling
company is a success story which provides maintenance
to South-West Airlines, US Airways, AVIAN-
Ambassador Carmen Gallardo and „Cercle Diplomatique“ author
Rainer Himmelfreundpointner during the interview.
CA, VOLARIS, among others. The company belongs
to a network of global maintenance centres authorized
by the European Consortium Airbus. El Salvador
is an ideal foot wear manufacture platform to
export with preferential tariffs to major markets. My
country also is a destination of choice for tourism; it
offers a wide range of hotel accommodations, excellent
gastronomy and shopping. The proximity of
multiple touristic attraction in less than 22,000 suqare
kilometres have made tourism one of the most
booming sectors of the country. Investors may find
industrial land in free zones and service parks where
companies benefit from tax incentives. We have one
of the most competitive electricity rate in the region
for industrial and commercial uses. The two main
ports Acajutla, located in the Western region is specialized
in handling bulk cargo and La Union located
in the Eastern part is designed for container cargo.
At the moment our Port La Union is in the process of
being awarded to an international operator.
Apart from commercial aspects, which additional contributions
Austria could provide in its relationship with El
Salvador?
Maybe Austria should consider not only to invest
in El Salvador but also to share its knowledge and
skills. Therefore I would strongly support the idea of
having Austria sponsoring vocational center to educate
young people in technical areas. We have too
many lawyers and not enough high level technicians
because El Salvador through all the years lost many
of its human resources due to emigration mainly to
the US. Now we have to present our young generation
new job perspectives. I do hope the Austrian flag
will wave to accompany our human development
process.
Did you know
that...
… diplomatic relations with
El Salvador date back to
the 19th century
Austro-Hungarian Empire?
… travellers from Austria
don‘t need to apply for a
visa to El Salvador due to a
bilateral agreement signed
in the 1960s?
… El Salvador is the
smallest country in Central
America, but has at the
same time has the highest
population density of the
region?
… the U.S. Dollar is the
official currency of El
Salvador since 2001?
Carmen Maria Gallardo Hernandez started her ambassadorship
to Austria in September 2014. She holds a Master´s in
Simultaneous Interpretation and a Bachelor in Clinical Psychology.
She is a mother of two children, and also has five grandchildren.
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Cercle Diplomatique 2/2015
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