Ecuador to invest over US$150mn in Azuay roadworks

Ecuador will invest US$154-164 million in roadworks in Azuay province.

Funds will come from a loan by Latin American development bank CAF and go to three road projects, landscaping, pavement and lighting works along the E35 Cuenca-Azogues route, as well as an interchange in Azogues, transport and public works minister Roberto Luque told reporters.

These works will require US$119mn and be contracted in Q4, Luque said.

An additional US$20-US$25mn from the World Bank will be invested in maintenance of the Cuenca-Molleturo-El Empalme road in December 2024 and January 2025, for which the necessary studies will be updated.

And US$15-20mn were earmarked for rehabilitation of the 140km Cuenca-Girón-Pasaje trunk in January and February 2025. Works also include updated signage and stabilization of slopes at critical points.

Luque also announced the structuring of the Cuenca-Guayaquil highway PPP.

The President Daniel Noboa administration seeks to use PPPs to carry out infrastructure works that have long been postponed.

Earlier this month, the public-private investment department and the International Finance Corporation signed an agreement to structure the Manta-Quevedo, Montecristi-Jipijapa-La Cadena and Pifo-Y de Baeza road corridors that involve a combined US$370mn and are part of the country's PPP portfolio.

The government also launched a PPP registry with detailed information on the first seven projects that were qualified by an inter-institutional committee.

In addition to the three corridors, the registry includes the Bahía-Pedernales-Cojimíes, Ambato-Baños-Puyo and Loja-Catamayo road projects, as well as the Esmeraldas multipurpose port terminal.

New projects like the US$700mn Guayaquil South Viaduct, which will facilitate access to the city and port facilities and link to Durán, will be added periodically.