2017 South American Council of Infrastructure and Planning meetings begin

The Argentine Republic inaugurated its presidency pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) with the opening meetings of the South American Council of Infrastructure and Planning (COSIPLAN), one of the major councils of the Union which is of strategic importance to the region.

On 18-20 April, the Technical Forum on the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) and the Coordinating Committee of COSIPLAN held meetings in Buenos Aires. In charge of opening the Forum was the Undersecretary for Territorial Planning of Public Investment of the Ministry of the Interior, Architect Fernando Álvarez de Celis, and the Undersecretary for Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Lila Roldán Vázquez; while the Argentine Minister of the Interior, Rogelio Frigerio, inaugurated the 2017 COSIPLAN sessions.

The Forum began with a review of the Strategic Action Plan and established an annual review schedule in order to make progress on the assessment of the infrastructure project portfolio.

Over the course of the analysis of Strategic Action Plan goals, the status of connectivity promotion in the region was evaluated. Meeting participants underscored the need to perform an assessment of infrastructure networks in South America, in addition to reiterating the agreed objective to enhance the capabilities and potentialities of local populations as well as to ensure their active participation and contribution to the design of construction plans. In this regard, the participation of civil society organizations in COSIPLAN coordination meetings was highlighted.

As general conclusions of the Forum meetings, it was agreed that, given the current complex regional situation and growing protectionist trends, it is necessary to make progress on a new agenda focusing on infrastructure investment promotion, by allowing private and mixed funding in areas that will tangibly benefit the population of the region, such as value chains and productive integration.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Press release No. 146/17

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