The consultants (at the time contracted as Communication Officers by Sida but later contracted as short-term consultants), one stationed in Stockholm and one in Honduras, planned and implemented this communication effort directed at target groups in Sweden and Central America. The objectives included ”facilitating project implementation and international coordination and making visible Sweden’s role in the reconstruction”.

The communication work resulted in lectures in Swedish schools, websites, video films, photo archives, printed material and networks between organisations, companies and individuals engaged in the Mitch-effort. Intensive presswork resulted in widespread media coverage in both Sweden and Central America. In the second phase of the project (November 2000 – December 2001) the objective changed into initiating a long-term strengthening of the communication aspect of Swedish development cooperation in Central America.

Among other activities at the Swedish embassies in Central America the Communication Officers planned and carried out:

1. Interviews with embassy staff on the needs and scope for a stronger communications aspect within their work;
2. Workshops in communications for embassy staff and seminars on press relations;
3. Elaboration of Communication Plans (based on results of interviews and workshops);
4. Implementation of Communication Plans together with embassy staff in each country;
5. Workshops for local employees (internal communication), and;
6. Recruitment of local communication consultants at the embassies.