Board of directors of Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) has approved funding of US$ 400 million for the Federal Regional Infrastructure Program (PFIR) and the Program for Improving Access and Educational Quality (PROMACE) in Argentina, which aim to promote policies of development and social inclusion.

US$ 300 million will be allocated for the PFIR, with the objective of reducing the gap in the provinces through public investment. The program is aimed at enhancing the translatability of the transport network, increasing the capacity of generation and transmission of energy, optimizing the management of water resources, and promoting tourism. Also, the planned works include the reconditioning of Provincial Route No. 23 (RP23) in Neuquen, the construction of the Transforming and High Voltage Station in Corrientes and Santa Rosa, environmental sanitation works of the Manzores stream channel in Entre Rios, the construction of a livestock aqueduct in Mendoza and the rehabilitation of the Quebrada de Humahuaca Train in Jujuy. The works will directly benefit 797 thousand inhabitants of the cities included in the project.

This operation is part of a program that consists of expanding the system currently used by the Federal Trust Fund for Regional Infrastructure (FFFIR) through financing by three multilateral credit agencies, FONPLATA, IDB and CAF for a total amount of US$ 1,020 million.

US$ 100 million will be granted for the Program for Improving Access and Educational Quality (PROMACE) in the province of Jujuy. The resources will be allocated to improve equity and access to quality education based on the creation and strengthening of educational establishments. The program is structured under a co-financing scheme with BICE for US$ 67 million on a total investment of PROMACE of US$ 202 million.

With this objective, infrastructure works and investments in technological equipment will be carried out in 103 new educational buildings in the Andes, Altiplano, Las Quebradas, and Los Valles regions. In addition, the focus will be on the improvement and efficiency of the management of the provincial education system with an emphasis on the development of new curricular designs for early childhood and the completion of the baccalaureate. Direct beneficiaries will be 31,680 teachers and directors of 1,268 educational institutions, and 258,893 children, adolescents, youth and adults.