Paraguay minister pushes for river navigability funds

Paraguay's public works and communications minister Ramón Jiménez Gaona met with the senate budget and finance committee to lobby for a US$16.5mn cooperation agreement with the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The Army Corps of Engineers would provide technical and implementation assistance to Paraguay for the project to ensure year-round navigability on the Paraguay river.

Approximately 80% of good consumed in Paraguay arrive in the country via the river, Jiménez Gaona said in a ministry release.

The agreement is the first step toward developing the project that seeks to ensure navigability on the Paraguay and Paraná (pictured) rivers.

Uruguay has also called for collaboration with neighbors Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay for joint works to ensure the rivers' navigability, including lock mechanisms and dredging.

If approved, the cooperation agreement is to be carried out over a four-year period.