USAID to grant $115 million in aid to El Salvador to stem migration

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - The United States will grant $115 million in cooperation aid to El Salvador to slow migration from the Central American country, Samantha Power, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), said on Monday.

"We can work with local partners in Central America to expand opportunities for youth and help them get away from violence," Power said at a conference on migration at the Central American University, where she announced the aid initiative.

The money will include $50 million for security, $35 million for programs to counter violence against women and $30 million in job training, Power said.

USAID says it will also contribute $12 million for small and medium-sized businesses in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador that were affected by coronavirus-related lockdowns.

The Biden administration has pledged to invest $4 billion to address the root causes of migration from Central America.

(Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Leslie Adler)