About PRONicaragua

PRONicaragua is the Official Investment and Export Promotion Agency of the Government of Nicaragua. It was created in the year 2002 as a project of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) having as a counterpart the 75-2002 Presidential Decree, which created the Special Commission for Investment attached directly to the Presidency of the Republic of Nicaragua.

Throughout the years, the agency has become part of the dynamics of the Nicaraguan Government in the implementation of a national strategy to reduce poverty and foster the country’s sustainable development, promoting Nicaragua as a safe and stable destination for foreign investment, as well as significantly contributing to the improvement of the business climate to encourage investors and, ultimately, generate employment opportunities, technology transfer and improve the population’s quality of life.

With the firm support of the Government of Nicaragua, and after its transition from project to program of UNDP in October 2008, PRONicaragua has worked arduously to incorporate new and innovative promotional strategies, as well as additional activities that guarantee the inflow of more world-class investment projects that promote gender equality in a socially and environmentally responsible fashion. Due to the use of world-class investment promotion best practices, the agency has earned a series of recognitions by prestigious international institutions related to the topic.

In 2011, Presidential Decree 12-2011 reformed the decree that created the agency and established the Presidential Delegation for Investment Promotion and Trade Facilitation. This new decree expanded the agency’s range of action to include efforts that facilitate and promote the development of Nicaragua’s exports. Additionally, it ratifies the position of a Presidential Delegate for Investment Promotion and Trade Facilitation, named directly by the President of the Republic and with rank of minister, who heads the Advisory Board, composed of 13 representatives of the public sector and 6 of the private sector.

PRONicaragua Evaluations

PRONicaragua’s performance has been subject to evaluations carried out by IDI Ireland (2005), MIGA (2004 and 2005), UNDP (2006) and the World Bank–FIAS (2008). These organizations have not only assessed PRONicaragua’s results since its creation, but have also provided significant contributions toward the Agency’s growth, presenting a series of suggestions and recommendations to further improve its performance.

• 2004: PRONicaragua ranks among the top 15 percent of evaluated agencies. IPA Performance Benchmarking 2005 MIGA.
• 2006: Recognition for best investment promotion practices. World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA). IPA Performance Review 2006 (MIGA).
• 2009: Ranked 11th best national IPA in the world and 2nd best in Latin America in the Global Investment Promotion Benchmarking 2008 (GIPB).
• 2012: Recognized as the best investment promotion agency in the world and the only one to achieve a “Best Practice” score in each of the three dimensions evaluated in the Global Investment Promotion Benchmarking 2012 (GIPB).

Our Staff:

PRONicaragua Offices in the U.S.
Maria Margarita Espinosa, Investment Promotion Manager USA and Canada This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Investment Promotion
Gabriel Sánchez, Investment Promotion Director

Investment Promotion - Products
Humberto Solís, Investment Promotion Manager - Manufacturing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
María Stephanie Aragón, Textiles, Apparel & Footwear Investment Advisor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Investment Promotion - Agribusiness

Javier Hidalgo, Investment Promotion Manager - Agribusiness
María Fernanda Urrutia, Agribusiness Investment Advisor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Investment Promotion - Services
Ana Marcela Valladares, Investment Promotion Manager - Services
Sabrina Urbina, ITO & KPO Investment Advisor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

New Markets Promotion
Pastora Sandindo, New Markets Promotion Director

Aftercare