The “Integration Routes” initiative also includes CAF, IDB and Fonplata; The Federal Development Bank promises to invest R$15 billion
After the 63rd Summit of Heads of State of MERCOSUR, Pres Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva PT participated in the announcement of US$10 billion (about R$50 billion) in joint financial and technical support for strategic projects, especially infrastructure, to improve integration routes between South American countries.
The initiative, called Integration Pathways, includes BNDES (National Bank for Economic and Social Development), CAF (Development Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean), IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) and Fonplata (Financial Fund for Africa’s Development). La Plata Basin) and the Ministry of Planning and Budget.
BNDES will contribute the most resources in the amount of R$15 billion. The following is the distribution of resources:
- Bendis: 15 billion Brazilian reals;
- Islamic Development Bank: 3.4 billion US dollars (about 17 billion Brazilian reals);
- KAF: 3 billion US dollars (about 15 billion Brazilian reals);
- Line: 600 million US dollars (about 3 billion Brazilian reals).
“Integration Committee”
The Ministry of Planning said in a statement “5 Priority Integration Methods” In 11 states bordering other South American countries. “In addition to enhancing infrastructure, trade and integration in the areas of culture, tourism, health and environmental protection, among others, the roads will also significantly reduce the time it takes to transport goods between Brazil and Asia.”, He said. here complete Statement (PDF – 1 MB).
According to Minister for Planning and Budget, Simon Tippett, there are 124 initiatives already included in the new Accelerator Program (PAC). “Spread across the border states” Of the five tracks identified by the Ministry in order of priority to enhance regional integration.
“This is the Integration Political Action Committee, which includes information roads, waterways, highways, railways, ports, airports and electric power transmission lines.”He mentioned.
BNDES President Aloisio Mercadante said the State Development Bank would finance “From the border to Brazil” and other beings, “From the borders to the outside”. According to him, 22 works from the project are under analysis at the bank.
He defended the initiative by saying that Brazil, since it has the largest territorial reach, population and GDP (gross domestic product) in the region, should have “Vision of integration”: “We are making a huge effort. It is the largest fund ever created for the integration of South America and Mercosur in the entire history of Mercosur, so it has been a huge effort.He said.
“We will now look at each project, and in the case of Brazil, part of it comes from the union budget, which is a non-recoverable resource. What we are announcing here is credit, it is financing,” he said, referring to the construction of railways, bridges, ports, waterways, information corridors and fiber optic networks.He mentioned.
In addition to Lola, the following participated in this event:
- Luciana Botafogo – President of Funplata;
- Ilan Goldwagen – President of the Islamic Development Bank;
- Márcio Macedo – Minister of the Presidential Secretariat;
- Mauro Vieira – Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- Santiago Peña – President of Paraguay;
- Luis Arce – President of Bolivia;
- Simon Tippett – Minister for Planning;
- Aloisio Mercadante – President of BNDES; that it
- Sergio Diaz Granados – President of CAF.
