El Salvador Secures $50 Million Loan to Overhaul Economic Data

The Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador will spearhead the four-year initiative, focusing on closing the gap between official records and the reality of the country's productive activity. Planners intend to integrate digital tools across the entire data lifecycle, from collection to public release, ensuring that government officials and private investors can access reliable, granular information for long-term planning.

Ezequiel Cambiasso, the IDB Group’s representative in El Salvador, highlighted that the project’s success hinges on making these figures accessible to the people whose livelihoods depend on them. By capturing the scale of informal labor, the government hopes to better address economic needs and identify new opportunities for growth. This investment builds on previous institutional partnerships, including the 2024 Population and Housing Census, and provides a framework that could serve as a model for neighboring nations seeking to improve their own statistical accuracy.