Guatemala

Guatemala established its PPP framework through legislation adopted in 2010 and accompanying regulations in 2011.^1,2 Reforms enacted in 2025 strengthened the framework and reorganized the National Agency of Partnerships for the Development of Economic Infrastructure (ANADIE) into the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI), overseen by the National Infrastructure Council (formerly CONADIE).³ ANI coordinates PPP development and procurement, while the council oversees the program, approves projects and coordinates participating public institutions. More broadly, the 2025 reforms aimed to facilitate PPP development and expand PPP opportunities for municipalities and infrastructure in health, education and water.⁴

Guatemala's PPP market remains relatively small, although implementation of the Escuintla–Puerto Quetzal highway has advanced. Construction began in July 2024, several years after the project's award, marking an important milestone for PPPs in the country, but property acquisition and electricity infrastructure relocation have delayed completion.^5,6 Meanwhile, ANI has expanded its efforts to develop a more diversified project pipeline. Its August 2026 sector plan identified ten strategic proposals spanning transport, electricity transmission, waste management, regional airports and public facilities, following a broader screening and prioritization exercise.^7,8 These projects remain at early stages of development, while longer-standing proposals, including La Aurora International Airport modernization and a government administrative center, continue through preparation.⁹

Political support for PPPs has strengthened under the current administration (2024 to present), which has emphasized private investment in infrastructure development. The 2025 reforms ultimately received broad legislative backing, with 129 lawmakers voting in favor, despite disagreements that delayed passage.^10,11 This represents an important commitment to strengthening the PPP framework, given historical difficulties advancing projects through congressional approval.¹² Translating this political consensus into a sustained record of project approvals and implementation remains an important next step. While there is little evidence of sustained opposition to PPPs as a policy instrument, disagreements over private-sector representation in their governance have surfaced.¹³ Sustaining political commitment and effective stakeholder engagement will be important as Guatemala seeks to advance its project pipeline.

Guatemala performs relatively well in the regulations and institutions category, supported by its newly strengthened PPP institutions, basic guidance for interagency coordination and a public registry for awarded projects. It also exceeds the regional average in risk management and contract monitoring, reflecting clear provisions for risk allocation and lenders' step-in rights, alongside regular reporting on ongoing projects. These arrangements provide a useful foundation for PPP oversight, although the effectiveness of the recently reorganized institutions and broader contract-management framework remains relatively untested.

Despite recent progress, the project preparation and sustainability category remains Guatemala's principal weakness, particularly project selection, where it ranks among the region's lowest performers. Feasibility and economic assessments are required, but the framework lacks systematic needs assessments, clear prioritization criteria and standardized appraisal tools, although ANI's expanded mandate and resources could help address these gaps. Elsewhere, key provisions governing contract variations and renegotiations are lacking, and environmental and social sustainability remains underdeveloped, with limited requirements to incorporate climate resilience and social inclusion into PPP planning.

Guatemala recorded the region's third-largest overall score improvement, including a 9.8-point gain in project preparation and sustainability, the second-largest in that category. The 2025 reforms introduced provisions for unsolicited proposals and restructured ANI's capital fund, introducing dedicated accounts and allowing unused balances to carry forward.¹⁴ The fund has also received resources earmarked for pre-investment studies, while ANADIE has advanced project preparation work, helping address obstacles to bankable PPPs.^15,16 Other advances include stronger land administration arrangements, new requirements to assess PPP suitability, and PPP-specific training among agency staff.