The following are examples of UNOPS in Guatemala's support to clients in key sectors:

Public works

Funded by the Government of Guatemala, the Modernization of the Infrastructure of the Superintendence of Fiscal Administration (SAT) project is an emergency initiative to rehabilitate and upgrade SAT physical infrastructure and equipment that was either obsolete or destroyed by Hurricane Stan in 2005. UNOPS in Guatemala contracts construction and consultancy firms to perform the studies for improvement, restoration or building of office facilities for SAT nationally and at the country’s main border points.

Security

Much of UNOPS in Guatemala's activity in the security sector has assisted implementation of the peace process in Guatemala. One major contribution was establishment of the Presidential Secretary for Security and Administrative Affairs (SAAS), financed by the national government and several bilateral donors. UNOPS in Guatemala focused in particular on training 430 civil agents to provide protection for the president, vice-president and their families.

Environment

The Demonstration of Innovative Approaches to the Rehabilitation of Heavily Contaminated Bays in the Wider Caribbean project is a Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded initiative, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNOPS. UNOPS in Guatemala is contracting, supervising and procuring materials for construction of a wastewater treatment plant, with appropriate technology for removing nitrogen and phosphorus and recovering sludge for potential agricultural use.

Poverty mitigation

In October 2005 the Government of Guatemala asked the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) and UNOPS in Guatemala to support its National Programme for Elderly Care (PRONAM). Among other things, the project creates suitable conditions for elderly people living in non-profit, public hospices. The Government has identified 35 buildings that need infrastructure improvements and expanded facilities. UNOPS in Guatemala has directly managed the infrastructure component, rehabilitating six hospices in Guatemala City that were in the worst condition.

Justice

The Support to Judicial Reform project, financed jointly by the Government of Guatemala and the World Bank and active from 1998 to 2007, made the judicial system more effective and accessible. UNOPS in Guatemala supported the project by contracting and administering the construction of three major judicial centres at national level and six municipal courts in the department of Quetzaltenango. The national judiciary now manages the infrastructure.

Gender

UNOPS in Guatemala supports the UNIFEM Regional Office for Mexico and Latin America, implementing two sub-regional programmes operating in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. The Government of Italy funds the main project, Women and Local Economic Development (MyDEL). It strengthens the role of women’s organizations and promotes their representation in local development, business strategies and public policies at national and regional levels.

Health

On February 2007 the Guatemalan Institute for Social Security (IGSS) hired UNOPS in Guatemala to assist the master plan for modernizing IGSS services and infrastructure. UNOPS in Guatemala contracts consultants to perform studies and companies to improve IGSS infrastructure at the national level. Work includes renovating hospital units, constructing new medical facilities in regions that lack functional and modern technology and services, and procuring medical equipment.

The project provides technical and administrative support to IGSS to strengthen transparency and accelerate investment in the organizational strategic plan framework. IGSS services benefit an estimated two million people in Guatemala.