Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced it has awarded a grant to the State of Tabasco’s Secretariat for Economic Development and Competitiveness (SEDEC) for technical assistance to help expand fiber optic infrastructure throughout the state’s 17 municipalities. USTDA’s assistance advances SEDEC’s goal to provide high-speed internet access to underserved rural communities.
“USTDA’s partnership with SEDEC will help build a more inclusive economy for more than two million people in Tabasco,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “This digital infrastructure will help enable the use of critical e-government, e-learning, and e-education services that will strengthen the quality of life. USTDA’s engagement will also facilitate the deployment of U.S. technologies that can help bridge Southern Mexico’s digital divide.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will define the costs and technology specifications for deploying the backbone digital connectivity infrastructure and develop a plan to finance and implement the project. Supporting the deployment of high-speed internet will promote economic opportunities in rural communities, bolster the state’s economy, and enable job creation by providing access to education resources, connecting small businesses to new markets and customers, and through the development of new digital infrastructure projects.
“It is a top priority for the State of Tabasco to provide affordable access to digital connectivity,” said José Friedrich García Mallitz, Secretary of SEDEC. “We are very excited to work with USTDA to connect all 17 municipalities in the State of Tabasco to high-speed internet, which will be critical to ensure our state’s role in the digital economy.”
This activity advances the goals of U.S. government initiatives including the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership and the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. It also advances the U.S. government’s engagement with Mexico to support economic development in southern Mexico.
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
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