IRF cooperation agreement with Columbia

IRF Washington announces strategic cooperation agreement with the Colombian Chamber of Infrastructure The IRF Washington Program Center (IRF WPC) and the Colombian Chamber of Infrastructure (CCI) have announced their intent to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate on technology transfer, training and dissemination of best-practices in Colombia
February 9, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

The IRF Washington Program Center (IRF WPC) and the Colombian Chamber of Infrastructure (CCI) have announced their intent to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate on technology transfer, training and dissemination of best-practices in Colombia

According to 2462 IRF WPC Chairman Brian Harris, the MOU represents an important step in IRF's policy of expanding activities in Latin America, in keeping with its mission to encourage and promote development and maintenance of better, safer and more sustainable roads and road networks worldwide.

IRF greatly values the strategic relationship with CCI, because it is the largest, most important and active infrastructure industry group in Colombia - a nation that is in the process of upgrading and expanding its road infrastructure at a rapid pace, with investments valued in the billions of US dollars over the next 5 years.

According to Juan Martin Caicedo Ferrer, Executive President of CCI, the Colombian government is making up for low levels of financing in this sector over the last 10 years, by doubling investment (from under 1% of average GDP previously, to about 2%).

The 2505 National Institute of Concessions (INCO) reported that Colombia had 910km of major divided-lane highways as of the second quarter of 2010. By 2017, the 2506 National Planning Department (DNP) projects 2,651km of major highways. Recently, two major road concession projects were granted: the Ruta del Sol Highway Corridor, linking the Caribbean coast with the interior of Colombia, and the Túnel de la Línea, which will expedite movement of raw materials to production centres and export hubs, connecting the centre of the country to the Pacific. Future plans include the development of a multimodal system to lower freight costs and enable the growth of new mining and oil production projects.

CCI's mission in Colombia parallels that of IRF worldwide. As a non-profit industry group, the Chamber has promoted socio-economic development and upheld ethical principles and transparency in procurement policies associated with critical infrastructure projects.

Mr Caicedo has issued an invitation to IRF members and road sector organisations throughout the world to participate in the development of infrastructure in Colombia.

Two early, and ideal, opportunities in this respect will be the IRF Latin America Regional Congress in Bogota (8-9 November, 2010), and the Seventh National Congress of Infrastructure (24-26 November, 2010), which will be organised by CCI in Cartagena, a beautiful city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. This Congress will notably include a unique business matchmaking session.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Importance of continued transportation investment
    February 27, 2012
    The US infrastructure network requires urgent attention - * T Peter Ruane. America's transportation infrastructure was once the "shining light on top of the hill." Major investments in a national highway, bridge, transit, airport, port and waterway system during the 20th century paid great dividends. The free and efficient flow of goods and people across the 50 states led to unparalleled economic expansion. The mobility and prosperity resulting from an interconnected infrastructure was a model for the world
    Read More
  • McBains Cooper wins PPP consultancy contract in Medellin, Colombia
    May 18, 2016
    Construction consultants McBains Cooper has won a contract to help improve public-private partnership skill for the Colombian city of Medellin. McBains will train Medellin PPP Agency to help implement PPP procured projects in the city, Colombia’s second largest. Apart from road works that will include a new urban highway, projects will be across the transportation sector as well as in education such as school construction. Santiago Klein, international director at McBains Cooper, said the objective of
    Read More
  • Chile's road safety drive
    February 23, 2012
    In Chile a serious accident has triggered a major assessment of existing safety regulations.
    Read More
  • Key IRF event for Middle East
    March 2, 2012
    The International Road Federation's event in the Gulf & Middle East Region in the capital of the Kingdom of Bahrain comes amid calls for efforts to meet the challenges posed by the region's growing demand for mobility and movement of goods.
    Read More

Highlighted Content