The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a loan for up to USD 20 million for Argentina with the purpose of financing the Paso de Agua Negra International Tunnel Program (PETAN, for its acronym in Spanish).

This Program shall be executed together with Chile and it costs USD 40 million in total. Its objective is to contribute to the construction of the International Tunnel Paso de Agua Negra, which will improve the border integration between Argentina and Chile. In addition, it will widen the access of the Region to international markets through the bioceanic corridor Coquimbo – San Juan – Porto Alegre.

Within said framework, the Program consists of three elements: the support to cooperation activities for the elaboration of the Project, the support to specific activities for authorities and public organizations and the design of the final engineering.

In the first place, the support to cooperation activities for the elaboration of the Project includes the financing and hiring of a consulting agency for the structuring, legal analysis and technical management of the Paso de Agua Negra International Tunnel Project. It also comprises the activities related to the prequalification process of contracting companies, the preparation of tender documents and the evaluation of offers. Likewise, the Program will finance expenses related to the strengthening and technical support for the implementation of the Binational Entity of Agua Negra Tunnel (EBITAN, for its acronym in Spanish).

The second element, the support to specific activities for authorities and public organizations includes hiring legal, technical and institutional strengthening assistance. Its objective is to strengthen the technical auditing capacity for the design and execution of the works and to develop training programs in hiring and carrying out studies and international works.

In the third place, the design of the final engineering also includes the relevant environmental impact, geological, geotechnical and hydrogeological studies.

The construction of the Tunnel shall be financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that agreed in April 2016 for an investment of USD 1.6 billion. Likewise, the direct influence area of the Bioceanic Corridor Porto Alegre – Coquimbo, where this project takes place, would amount to a total of approximately USD 252 billion of regional GDP, among Argentina, Chile and Brazil.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved this Thursday a 25-million-dollar loan aimed at improving the efficiency of the National Ministry of Security and of jurisdictional governments in order to reduce robbery and homicide. Likewise, the National Government will make a 5-million-dollar contribution for the implementation of the program.

Within said context, Caputo said: “Once more we have the support of the IDB, a strategic partner, to make the necessary investments for the growth of the country, the creation of jobs and the security of citizens”.

The goal of this initiative is to increase the efficiency of the Ministry of Security, the federal forces, the Provincial police and municipal governments to reduce homicide and robbery, particularly in 6 cities: Moron and Tres de Febrero (Buenos Aires), Santa Fe (Santa Fe), Cordoba (Cordoba), Las Heras (Mendoza) and Bajo Flores (City of Buenos Aires).

Likewise, the Program has three elements. In the first place, “to improve the quality of the information and analysis of crimes” through the provision of equipment, software services, technical assistance and training in the information and crime analysis areas.

In the second place, “to increase police effectiveness” through the support to the design and implementation of the construction and equipment of the Strategic Coordination Institute (ICCE, for its acronym in Spanish). It also includes the support for the provincial institutions of police training.

The third element is “to strengthen the local management of security” and its goal is to provide equipment, technical assistance and training to develop municipal programs of security, as well as to implement the Safe Neighborhoods Program in areas with high degree of homicide.

The IDB is a multilateral organization that works to improve the quality of life in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean through financial and technical support in the areas of health, education and infrastructure. Its objective is to achieve sustainable development with the highest standards of integrity, transparency and accountability.