Paraguay, a Road Safety Testimony

PIARC is an international association with 122 member Countries.

The different experiences in the various sectors are shared by the representatives of these countries in the technical and institutional bodies of PIARC.

We would like to offer here the testimony of Andrea Peris Yegros, who represents Paraguay in the PIARC Communication Commission and Director of Communications of the Paraguayan Road Association.

Here is his presentation of the road safety situation in Paraguay.

Bridging distances and bringing competitiveness closer to Paraguay

Andrea Peris YegrosCurrently Communications Director of the Paraguayan Road Association, Member of the Communications Commission of the World Road Association PIARC, she has a degree in Business Administration, Businesswoman, Entrepreneur in the Communications Area, currently has a positive information platform on infrastructure called Roads and something more, https://carreterasyalgomas.com.py/ which is the first communication channel of Paraguay focused exclusively on disseminating everything related to road infrastructure works, civil, energy, water and sanitation and other infrastructure of the country and the world.
Roads and something more, highlights the scope of the works in a simple way, showing what they entail, the impact of road works, civil, water and sanitation, energy, construction technology, innovation, interviews, latest trends and how these infrastructures impact the quality of life of people in the world. A website constantly focused on informing, innovating and improving the coverage of news about the field, in order to reach more readers and followers.
Andrea Peris points out that in the Republic of Paraguay, a country that for many years was known as an island surrounded by land and as the best kept secret in South America, has historically dealt with a complicated strategic situation, in a regional context where having access to the sea was an important positional advantage.

For the time being, we do not have that advantage, however, destiny challenges us to be the protagonist of the most important logistic and economic corridor of the Region, transforming our condition of Mediterranean to the hinge capable of joining two oceans, connecting the deep water ports on the Pacific Ocean in Chile with those ports on the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil, passing through our territory through the Bioceanic Road Corridor which, according to estimates, will considerably shorten the distance to Asian markets by some 8000 kms, in logistics about 14 days, and approximately 1000 usd per container, which will make our products more competitive in the most demanding markets in the world.

He cited the main actions undertaken by the Government of Paraguay in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of public works, especially roads, which are the ones that today position Paraguay as one of the main references of economic reactivation.

Our experience in the construction of infrastructure, especially roads, has been successful for Paraguay, because in the midst of the pandemic, the work of the Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), the private sector, and especially the coordination of the National Economic Team, was strongly committed to counteract the effects of the pandemic situation through public works and investment”, highlighted Andrea Peris.

The strict sanitary protocols during the months of greatest confinement, allowed no work to stop, thus achieving economic dynamics.
Within this regional strategy, she indicated the leading value of Paraguay to become a logistics center par excellence and in this regard she pointed out the work of the Ministry of Public Works and Communications which is the agency responsible for developing, proposing and implementing policies and provisions of the Government, concerning infrastructure and basic services for the integration and economic development of the country, the MOPC as a substantial part of a state policy, in the transport sector, infrastructure, and for this the Ministry has developed the Master Plan for Infrastructure, Transport, Logistics, with a 20-year horizon for implementation.
She also highlights that in Paraguay there is a decision to strengthen the internal road corridors with the implementation of emblematic works, such as the Bioceanic Road Corridor, whose first section is being built between the cities of Carmelo Peralta and Loma Plata and also in process the Bioceanic Road Bridge that will link the cities of Carmelo Peralta (Paraguay) and Puerto Mourtiño (Brazil).
As for highlighting some important road works, he mentioned the reconstruction and duplication of the Transchaco Route and accesses to the productive areas of the Central Chaco. The reconstruction of the Pozo Colorado Route to Concepciòn, an important port area on the Paraguay River.

The duplication of the road from Puerte Remanso to Puerto Falcòn and the duplication of the internal passage between our regions (Paraguay – Argentina) with the bridge Hèroes del Chaco, over the Paraguay River between Asunciòn and Chaco, which will also facilitate trade with the Republic of Argentina, thus allowing the economic development of historically neglected areas.

Then, in the eastern region of Paraguay, the Botanic Road Corridor and the 3 mouths Tunnel in the periphery of the Central Department, the duplication of Route 2 towards the east, which will connect with the Eastern Metropolitan Corridor, and with the integration bridge between Alto Paranà (Paraguay) and the State of Paranà (Brazil), corridor to which is added the Road from Natalio (Department of Itapùa) to Cedrales (Department of Alto Paranà).

Towards the south of Paraguay, the projects on Route 1 and Route 6, and the imposing Coastal Defense of the City of Pilar, which will undoubtedly change forever the face of one of the most important areas of the Republic of Paraguay, historically, socially, touristically, commercially and productively speaking.

Very concrete objectives for the Paraguay – Paraná Waterway

This important corridor is complemented by the impressive Hidrovia Paraguay – Paranà and the railway corridors. We have very specific objectives for the Paranà-Paraguay Waterway: to have a system with more competitive costs that will allow the physical distribution of the production of the countries of the La Plata Basin, for export purposes beyond our own continent. Secondly, to promote the development of the region and the exportation of our agricultural, mineral and timber products, etc. Thirdly, to promote the increase of transportation through the waterway and regional and international trade, stimulating the economic and political integration of the region.

Under the premises of greater competitiveness, more investment and more development, Andrea stressed that the Paraguay – Parana Waterway, together with the implementation of the Bioceanic Corridor, is the most important logistic and strategic value project currently under development in the region. Because today it constitutes a fundamental trunk in the performance of our foreign trade with 80% of what we import and what we export.

Projections for transportation:

The projections for cargo transportation on the Paraguay-Parana Waterway are of very high expectations, it is foreseen that by the year 2025 more than 40 million tons per year will be transported, mainly if the prospects for production and transportation of iron ore and soybeans from Bolivia and Brazil are maintained.

Transforming Paraguay from a “land locket country” to a “land linked country”, that is, from a Mediterranean country to a country of opportunities, of joining distances and bringing competitiveness closer, is the main strategy of the Government of Paraguay.

For all this, a change of course for the global logistics process of Paraguay, because with everything that is happening in Paraguay, especially in terms of public infrastructure development in Paraguay, with a strong emphasis on road works, from an integral point of view, it can be a powerful tool for the development of the country, can become a powerful tool to promote and boost the economic development of Paraguay and its projection is totally regional, bringing the excellent Paraguayan products to the most important markets in the world, connecting Paraguay with other countries, with the people, and integrating our people, he said.

To advance with the works, to start new works, mainly that the works generate a better quality of life for the people, that have an impact on health, improve connectivity, the production sector without forgetting the works of drinking water and sanitation, mentioning some as the first wastewater treatment plant in Asuncion, in Varadero, which has just been inaugurated, next year in San Lorenzo and Bella Vista, missing the Lambaré basins, together with the Costanera Sur, the Monday account, in Alto Paraná, emphasizing that 1 usd invested in Water and Sanitation is equal to 5 usd invested in health, because it improves the quality of life of the people.

Paraguay must generate conditions of dignified life and health for its inhabitants, therefore our commitment to build water and sanitation works in the coming years is great, he said, because this will directly benefit the health of the population.

Upon completion of the treatment plants, Asunción and the entire metropolitan area would have decent conditions for health. This means an investment of 6 billion Usd, in water and sanitation works for the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals for the year 2030.

Leonardo Annese*

* PIARC Communication Commission and Road Safety Technical Committee