Belém, Pará – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a technical assistance grant to the State Bank of Pará (Banpará) to advance the modernization and expansion of its information and communications technology infrastructure and improve access to digital banking for Banpará’s more than seven million customers.

“Through this assistance and the development of an innovative architecture, USTDA will help transform secure banking transactions in the state of Pará,” said Todd Abrajano, USTDA’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agency. “American companies offer the leading ICT solutions Banpará is seeking for this part of its banking future.”

Financial institutions are responding to the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic by significantly increasing access to automated banking transactions. In response, the USTDA-funded technical assistance will advance a digital implementation strategy to modernize and automate Banpará’s overall ICT related banking and cybersecurity systems with a unified approach to ensure interoperability and efficiency to meet the bank’s long term goals.

According to Banpará CIO Bruno Morhy, “Banpará is excited about how this international cooperation will help foster the technological infrastructure needed for the Bank’s sustainable development in all of Pará’s municipalities, promoting innovation and IT solutions in the financial sector in order to attract new investments and generate the best economic and social outcomes.”

U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.