(ANS - Tegucigalpa) - Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, SDB, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa and president of Caritas International, has secured the support of the Catholic Church for the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity involving Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. "For us it is very important that young people be given opportunities in Honduras so that they can work and help their families, and no longer be obliged to leave the country."

According to the agency Fides, the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity was officially launched on 15 November 2014 in Washington DC by the Heads of State of these three countries in Central America with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of the United States. According to the official document, the alliance "aims to bring a change in the quality of life for people through the development of economic and social opportunities."

In particular, the Plan will promote foreign investment to improve public education and provide job opportunities. It will also tackle crime and drug trafficking and strengthen local institutions in their efforts to achieve transparency and in the fight against corruption.

The cardinal was speaking on 2 February at the opening of the school year in St. Teresa of Jesus School in Tegucigalpa, where the President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was also present.

Referring to the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity, the Cardinal said: "For us it is very important that young people be given opportunities in Honduras so that they can work and help their families, and no longer be obliged to leave the country."

The Cardinal also said that there is ongoing dialogue on the topic with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops of America, and that he expects the US Congress to benefit the common good with the approval of funds set up to meet the needs of the region and thus prevent the emigration of children and adults.

Published 05/02/2015