MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Timerman visits Paraguay, announces two new bridges linking with Argentina

Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo and Hector Timerman

Argentina’s Foreign Affaire minister Hector Timerman announced Tuesday in Asuncion the construction of two new bridges linking Argentina with Paraguay and the upgrading of an existing one.

Timerman on his first visit as minister to Paraguay made the announcement after meeting with President Fernando Lugo and his counterpart Hector Lacognata.

According to the Argentine Foreign Affairs communiqué, “Timerman and President Lugo made progress on issues of regional connectivity, and they agreed on the creation of a bilateral labour committee to improve border crossings. They both also agreed on the need to build new border bridges, they analyzed bilateral trade, and they conversed on migration issues.”

At the meeting with Minister Lacognata, it was agreed to hold ministerial meetings every 60 days, in order to boost the main topics of the common agenda. The first meeting is to be held in the city of Ituzaingó, Corrientes province, which borders with Paraguay.

Argentina and Paraguay count with six Integration Committees that meet periodically and are fundamental for identifying border demands and proposing courses of action. The committee on border crossings has 30 days to come up with a full report on ways to facilitate people and goods movements.

The international bridge to be repaired and financed by Argentina links the city of Encarnación in Paraguay with Posadas. The two new bridges will receive financial support from the River Plate Basin Development Fund, FONPLATA and will help “improve Argentine-Paraguayan connectivity”.

One of the new bridges is to be built 300 kilometres to the south of Asunción and will link Ñeembucú with Bermejo in Argentina. The second will join Clorinda with metropolitan Asunción.