Asunción, Agencia IP.- The Director of Strategic Projects of the MOPC, Amílcar Guillen, believes that the public-private alliance (PPP) constitutes a high-impact tool to shorten the existing gap in road infrastructure and guarantee the quality of the plays. The Government intends to allocate USD 5.5 billion in the next five years.
Guillen explained that the road infrastructure plan for the next five years contemplates an approximate investment of USD 5.5 billion, which corresponds, on average, to 4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In this regard, he highlighted the need to find new financing mechanisms to promote the ambitious investment plan and reinforce Paraguayan infrastructure, such as the case of the public-private alliance (PPP) and concessions. «The decision has been made to strengthen the area,» he indicated this Tuesday in an interview with Radio Nacional del Paraguay.
He mentioned that the central axis of this Government’s management will be to convert Paraguay into the Multimodal Logistics Hub of the region and that, in this regard, an investment of USD 3,000 million is expected through the strengthening of connectivity and road infrastructure that includes the waterway, the modernization of the Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, the completion of sections 2 and 3 of the Bioceanic Road Corridor, the improvement of route PY01, among other works.
«We want to take this chance with MOPC’s capabilities executing projects focusing on public works that benefit citizens. That is why many civil works that were not previously the responsibility of the Ministry will become so in this administration, such as the construction of schools, hospitals, and finishing prisons,» he said.
Improvements in 300 educational institutions
Regarding the point, he specified that in the first stage, the construction of 300 educational institutions is planned through the execution of loans, such as the issue of bonds and support from multilateral organizations.
He also spoke of urban crossings, citing the reconversion of Artigas Avenue, the Limpio, San Lorenzo, Tape Tuyá crossing, and the duplication of the Highway-Mariano Roque Alonso section.
Likewise, he emphasized the construction of five new hospitals, two of which are already underway, as well as quality spaces for citizens, such as the Urban Resilience Project of the Asunción Coastal Strip, the construction of 1,500 homes in the Tacumbú neighborhood, phases A and B of the Pilar Coastal Defense, urban parks and urban transportation, ending his presentation with his commitment to transparency and innovation in all the processes carried out.
The infrastructure gap is essential
«Under the traditional modality, there would be renovations of schools and hospitals, but under the PPP Law, they would be new constructions; that is the possibility that this tool offers us,» he expressed.
At another point in the interview, he admitted that the country’s infrastructure deficit is $24 billion for the next decade. «The gap is important. These PPP models will allow us to shorten this gap and, above all, guarantee the quality of our infrastructure,» he assured.
The plan that the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) wants to execute for the next five years is challenging. However, he finally stated that they are essential projects to direct the country’s growth.