MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bi-national Patagonia Chamber is born in Punta Arenas

Argentine and Chilean delegations officially launched this week in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile, the Bi-national Patagonia Chamber which brings together fifteen regional chambers from the regions of Aisen and Magallanes and Argentine Patagonia.

According to reports from Punta Arenas press the original idea was first launched in 2007 at Coihaique, Chile, followed by meetings in Comodoro Rivadavia and Caleta Oliva, Argentina, the following year and have now culminated in Punta Arenas with the purpose of regional integration as well as promoting tourism and trade.

The official opening had as main speaker Marcela Otero, an economist from Chile’s Promotion Department (Foreign Markets Access Office), who explained how Argentine Patagonia produce, integrated to Chilean Patagonia, could be exported to the 56 countries with which Chile has free trade agreements, a potential market of 4 billion people.

“This is an incredible opportunity and we won’t let it go”, said Marcos Ivelich, president of Punta Arenas Chamber of Commerce and who will be chairman of the new bi-national organization.

“This is far more than a mere statement of principles, not only do we know each other, we are also close friends so the chamber will work”, said Rodolfo Cis from Puerto Deseado Commerce Chamber.

Alejandro González from Coihaique said that it was decided to create a full time job of General Manager to keep the links between all associates “well alive to it gives as greater presence”.