Bolivia expects that next Friday in Lima the framework necessary for the construction of the so-called bioceanic train to advance in 2019 will be defined with Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, a project for which Argentina and Chile have also been invited, an official source reported on Monday (11.6.2018).
Bolivian Minister of Public Works Milton Claros said at a press conference in La Paz that the objective of the meeting in the Peruvian capital "is to outline a critical path for the execution of the project" of a railway between the ports of Santos (Brazil) and Ilo (Peru).
The 3.755-kilometer corridor between these ports, crossing Bolivia, with branches to Paraguay and Uruguay, would cost around 14.000 billion dollars, but the five countries involved for now do not want to allocate public debt to finance it, but rather attract private investment, said Claros.
Financing
The authority recalled that there are already agreements with Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, for companies from these countries to collaborate, and agreements are expected with China, Spain and Russia, in addition to the support of the CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The objective, he stressed, is to also involve companies from the countries involved so that the necessary studies can advance in 2018 and in 2019 the works can be underway on the entire corridor, which in Bolivia has already begun on a section of about 150 kilometers with an investment of close to 221 million dollars.
To this end, the meeting in Lima between the ministers of public works and transport of the five countries aims to finalize internal work regulations and appoint representatives of each country to the project management bodies, he said.
private works
The minister pointed out that in addition to the road, it is necessary to build "megaports" in Santos and Ilo and agree on a unique control system so that cargo and passengers do not have to stop at customs and immigration in each country.
He also recalled that Argentina and Chile were also invited to join, with branches similar to those planned with Paraguay and Uruguay.
Claros commented that the project for a highway corridor in the Southern Cone is complementary to the bioceanic railway, although in his opinion it is due to "geopolitical" interests of Argentina and Chile but "does not solve the problem" of transport integration in the region.
The railway line needs to be built to 20 percent, while the remaining 80 percent requires restoration of existing tracks, as some have been in disuse for decades.
The project foresees connect with other sections of railway, roads and airports, to facilitate cargo logistics, estimated at a minimum of ten million tons annually, and passenger flow, around six million annually.
The objective is that through this corridor goods such as those traded with China It takes about 42 days to complete the journey, while the current routes through the Panama Canal and Cape Horn take 67 and 58 days, respectively.
The project is planned to be based in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba, which is located almost halfway along the route.
Source: Reuters
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