Development Plans and Public Investment in El Salvador
The ten biggest projects in 2026
| Project | Body | USD million in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Airport, La Unión | CEPA | 210.22 |
| Crecer y Aprender Juntos: early childhood programme | Ministry of Education | 170.50 |
| Municipal works, various infrastructure | Municipal Works Directorate (DOM) | 156.92 |
| Building and improving schools in priority districts | Ministry of Public Works | 146.12 |
| Additional road maintenance | FOVIAL | 146.04 |
| Closing the digital gap in schools | Ministry of Education | 142.16 |
| Mi Nueva Escuela school reform | Ministry of Education | 140.00 |
| Los Chorros viaduct and CA-1 widening | Ministry of Public Works | 126.69 |
| Municipal road works | Municipal Works Directorate (DOM) | 99.92 |
| National submarine cable system | SIGET | 81.24 |
Source: Ministry of Finance: public investment programme 2026, report to July (PDF, in Spanish)1
Together these ten projects account for USD 1,419.8 million, or 46.1% of the programme. The amounts are revised during the year: the programme stood at USD 2,680.4 million in January and USD 3,077.5 million in July.1,3
Flagship works
- Pacific Airport, La Unión: phase 1 costs USD 386.4 million, with a 2,400-metre runway and capacity for 365,000 passengers a year. The development bank CAF put overall progress above 60% in September 2026; opening is planned for the second half of 2027, but the date is not confirmed. By August 2026 USD 85.04 million had been spent this year.
- Pacific Train: a railway planned to link the ports of La Unión and Acajutla for freight and passengers; the budget policy covers its design and construction.
- Ports: the USD 1,615 million plan for Acajutla and La Unión, run by Unión Portuaria del Pacífico.
- International airport: a bigger passenger terminal and a new cargo terminal.
- Cable car: a public transport system planned with six lines in and around San Salvador.
- Health: the new Rosales National Hospital and the Nejapa National Hospital.
Source: El Salvador.com: progress on the Pacific Airport; El Salvador.com: Pacific Airport construction progress, according to CAF; Diario El Mundo: investment in the Pacific Airport passes USD 85 million to August 2026; Ministry of Finance: Budget Policy 2026 (PDF, in Spanish); El Salvador.com: Acajutla grows 11.2% and modernises4,5,6,2,7
The budget and the IMF programme
| Target, % of GDP | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax revenue | 21.2 | 21.5 | 21.7 |
| Public investment (non-financial public sector) | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| Overall balance including pensions | −3.3 | −2.3 | −2.2 |
Source: Ministry of Finance: Budget Policy 2026 (PDF, in Spanish)2
The budget policy aims to improve the primary balance by about 3.5% of GDP over three years under the 40-month IMF programme. In October 2026 the IMF said the programme had advanced broadly as planned.2,8
Points to watch
- Execution: spending often runs behind the programme; by July 2026 it had reached 62% of the amount planned for those months.
- Financing: loans were expected to fund 61.6% of the programme in 2026.
- Land: expropriations for the Pacific Airport and the Pacific Train began in 2024.
Source: Ministry of Finance: public investment programme 2026, report to July (PDF, in Spanish); Diario El Mundo: the government plans more than USD 2,680 million in public investment in 2026; US Department of State: 2026 Investment Climate Statement, El Salvador1,3,9
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is El Salvador’s public investment programme?
The 2026 public investment programme (PAIP) stood at USD 3,077.5 million in July, spread over 270 projects run by 43 public bodies.
What is the largest public project?
The Pacific Airport in La Unión, with USD 210.22 million for 2026.
How much of the programme has been spent?
By the end of July USD 907.5 million had been spent, against USD 1,461.3 million programmed for those months.
Sources
- Ministry of Finance: public investment programme 2026, report to July (PDF, in Spanish)
- Ministry of Finance: Budget Policy 2026 (PDF, in Spanish)
- Diario El Mundo: the government plans more than USD 2,680 million in public investment in 2026 (in Spanish)
- El Salvador.com: progress on the Pacific Airport (in Spanish)
- El Salvador.com: Pacific Airport construction progress, according to CAF (in Spanish)
- Diario El Mundo: investment in the Pacific Airport passes USD 85 million to August 2026 (in Spanish)
- El Salvador.com: Acajutla grows 11.2% and modernises (in Spanish)
- IMF: Executive Board concludes the second and third reviews under the EFF for El Salvador (1 October 2026)
- US Department of State: 2026 Investment Climate Statement, El Salvador
Figures checked 8 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
