[{"bbox": [128, 164, 753, 195], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 4 IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS"}, {"bbox": [128, 229, 427, 259], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.1 Financing Agreement"}, {"bbox": [140, 274, 1056, 327], "category": "Text", "text": "In order to implement this action, it is envisaged to conclude a financing agreement with the partner country."}, {"bbox": [128, 342, 555, 372], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.2 Indicative Implementation Period"}, {"bbox": [140, 389, 1093, 468], "category": "Text", "text": "The indicative operational implementation period of this action, during which the activities described in section 3 will be carried out and the corresponding contracts and agreements implemented, is 48 months from the date entry into force of the financing agreement."}, {"bbox": [140, 469, 1073, 522], "category": "Text", "text": "Extensions of the implementation period may be agreed by the Commission's responsible authorising officer by amending this Financing Decision and the relevant contracts and agreements."}, {"bbox": [128, 562, 485, 592], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.3 Implementation Modalities"}, {"bbox": [140, 620, 1134, 698], "category": "Text", "text": "The Commission will ensure that the EU rules and procedures for providing financing to third parties are respected, including review procedures, where appropriate, and compliance of the action with EU restrictive measures³⁵."}, {"bbox": [128, 726, 625, 753], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 4.3.1 Indirect Management with an entrusted entity"}, {"bbox": [140, 780, 1134, 914], "category": "Text", "text": "This action may be implemented in indirect management with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), This implementation entails the development of the ecosystem and creation of cybersecurity-related jobs in El Salvador, with an emphasis on improving the participation of young people and women in the sector and expanding access to reliable cybersecurity services for the country's productive sector, especially small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). The envisaged entity has been selected using the following criteria:"}, {"bbox": [215, 925, 1134, 1006], "category": "Text", "text": "Specific sector and thematic expertise in implementing programmes with a gender approach for disadvantages people around digital skills in the region, as well as operational capacity and previous experience working with the EU in the region."}, {"bbox": [215, 1017, 833, 1044], "category": "Text", "text": "The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) fulfils these criteria."}, {"bbox": [215, 1056, 1134, 1350], "category": "Text", "text": "The IDB has a long trajectory in supporting Latin American countries in general, and El Salvador specifically, in areas related to economic development and job creation. In particular, the IDB has been actively engaged in the region in terms of digital transformation and has already initiated support to implementing El Salvador's social digital connectivity programme, as outlined in the government's Agenda Digital, and in line with the EUs MIP Priority Area 1 of Digital Transformation. In this regard, IDB represents a crucial partner of the EU, where we can complement each other and achieve greater added value in partnership with the government. The IDB's Innovation laboratory \"IDB Lab\" has already been piloting innovative initiatives with the private sector and civil society in Latin America, which take into consideration the opportunities and challenges of technology for jobs and economic growth. Given the challenges El Salvador is facing, partnering with the initiative developed in Panamá for El Salvador represents an opportunity for the EU."}, {"bbox": [215, 1360, 1134, 1548], "category": "Text", "text": "The IDB has been assessed by the EU and fulfils all criteria relating to operational capacity and transparency. The organization has ample experience in working with the EU in Latin America and will be working closely with Salvadoran institutions which include: The Innovation Secretariat, who is member of the Project Steering Committee, as well as NUMU S.A, the private organisation promoting cybersecurity technology and innovation in the private sector in El Salvador. The project has already built a strong relationship between these local stakeholders (duty-bearers), which can also be expanded to additional stakeholders (duty-bearers), as necessary."}, {"bbox": [128, 1586, 1145, 1647], "category": "Footnote", "text": "³⁵ www.sanctionsmap.eu. Please note that the sanctions map is an IT tool for identifying the sanctions regimes. The source of the sanctions stems from legal acts published in the Official Journal (OJ). In case of discrepancy between the published legal acts and the updates on the website it is the OJ version that prevails."}, {"bbox": [1015, 1656, 1145, 1682], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 20 of 24"}]