announced that Peru and El Salvador agreed to resume negotiations to sign a Free Trade Agreement, which would expand opportunities for Peruvian companies in this Central American market.
"Trade in goods between Peru and El Salvador has shown a growing trend in recent years," Leon stated.
"We are confident that this negotiation will allow us to further enhance these trade flows, diversify our exports, as well as generate new investment and employment opportunities for our citizens," she added.
El Salvador represents a strategic market for Peru in Central America, with a growing economy and an increasing demand for value-added products.
This FTA will open up new opportunities for Peruvian exporters, allowing them to access, under preferential conditions, a country with which we share a vision of integration and economic development.
"With this agreement, we aim to consolidate a stable and predictable regulatory framework that will allow our economic operators, especially SMEs, to fully harness the potential of our trade relations," Leon stated.
The Peruvian government official underscored that the reduction of tariffs and the facilitation of trade will allow more Peruvian companies to export products more competitively, diversifying their markets and contributing to the growth of employment and investment in our country.
In turn, El Salvador's Minister of Economy stressed that the reactivation of negotiations represents a key opportunity to increase and diversify trade flows of goods and services between both nations.
"This agreement will strengthen bilateral trade, facilitating access for more Salvadoran products and services to the Peruvian market and vice versa, thus generating sustained growth and new business opportunities for our companies," she indicated.
Joint statement
After the meeting, the two ministers issued a joint statement, highlighting the commitment of their governments to move forward with determination in the negotiations and reach an agreement that will boost economic growth in both nations.
They also reaffirmed their interest in promoting a more dynamic trade, with tangible benefits for their productive sectors.
Peru's Deputy Foreign Trade Minister, Teresa Mera, and El Salvador's Ambassador, Pablo Caballero, were present during this joint announcement.
The two countries began negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement in 2010, making progress on various issues to strengthen bilateral trade.
Over the years, both nations have maintained an interest in finalizing this FTA, which led to agreeing on a general negotiation framework last January, with the aim of resuming the process and moving towards signing the treaty.
Between January and November 2024, Peru's exports to El Salvador grew by 43.8% compared to 2023, reaching US$65 million, with notable diversification across 404 subcategories and 183 exporting companies. Chemical, agricultural, and metallurgical products stood out.
On the other hand, imports from El Salvador totaled US$19 million, concentrated in 134 subcategories.
Although traditional products such as sugar and lubricating oils led the ranking, long steel and paper or cardboard waste showed significant increases, evidencing changes in the composition of bilateral trade.