7 Reasons to Invest in Nicaragua - #5 Market Access
Jul 20th, 2010 by Kevin
Nicaragua is an original Member of the WTO, and attaches considerable importance to its participation in the multilateral trading system. Since the beginning of 1990s, Nicaragua has engaged in multilateral negotiations, regional and bilateral negotiations (Free Trade Agreements). Preferential agreements have become an important component of trade liberalization in Nicaragua.
The country offers: 48 universities with approximately 116,000 students enrolled 1 U.S. accredited English Language University 3 universities with bilingual programs; 5 Bilingual secondary schools Dozens of English Language Institutes 113 technological institutes servicing more than 20,000 students in the areas of:
- electronics
- computer systems and sciences
- agro-forestry
- construction
Through a broad array of commercial and free trade agreements Nicaragua has achieved access to the most important markets in the world, which allows companies that operate in Nicaragua to establish a cost-effective export platform for key markets in North, Central and South America, as well as Europe and Asia
Trade-related services
In the 2008 Latin American Globalization Index, published by The Latin Business Chronicles, Nicaragua was ranked as the third most globalized country in Latin America. The index of 18 countries looks at six factors that measure a country’s links with the outside world, such as exports and imports of goods and services as a percent of GDP, foreign direct investment as a percent of GDP and tourism receipts as a percent of GDP.
Current Free Trade Agreements
- DR-CAFTA: Free Trade Agreement between Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States of America.
- MEXICO: Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua and the Government of the United Mexican States.
- TAIWAN: Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua and the Government of Taiwan.
- EUROPE: General System of Preferences (GSP) allows preferential access to the European Union and Japan.
- CENTRAL AMERICAN COMMON MARKET
- PANAMA
- COLOMBIA
Other articles in this Series:
Reason #2 – Infrastructure Investment
Reason #3 – Investment Incentives
