At the Convention Center, Dr. María de los Ángeles Petit, advisor on Strategic Affairs for the municipality; Marcos Follonier and Daniel Bentancourt, members of the Technical Secretariat of the Basin Committee, received Antonio Fuentes, General Manager of FELCODE (Extremaduran Fund for Development), in our city, holding a working meeting where various possible cooperation actions and tools between both organizations were presented.
The objective of the dialogue was to share the reality of the region and make a diagnosis of possible interventions, mainly in the areas of environment, preservation of natural resources, and tourist attractions, in which the Uruguay River is a protagonist. All from a perspective of regional integration and under the concept of “commonwealth.” An experience that, Fuentes explained, was developed in Spain and had a positive impact on each of the local governments.
FELCODE, by agreement with the Committee for the Development of the Uruguay River Basin, is developing technical assistance in the tri-national border area of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay (cities of Monte Caseros, Bella Unión, and Barra de Quaraí), which is preparing an organization of all environmental tourism products and services and generating a strategic plan for that region, with funding from the European Union.
“In this sense, as a result of the visit made last September and October of the current year by authorities and members of the Technical Secretariat of our committee, the viability of extending—in a new project for the coming years—the support for a wider region of the basin was analyzed, thus benefiting cities on both sides of the river beyond the tri-national region, taking as an additional motivator the thermal tourism of the region as well as other tourist offerings in the area to project them at an international level,” noted Marcos Follonier, giving details of the importance of this visit.
For his part, Antonio Fuentes explained that this was within the framework of an invitation from the Basin Committee to participate in the II Meeting of Protected Areas in Monte Caseros, where FELCODE has provided technical support in terms of tourism development for these spaces. It was a very positive instance, because we were able to realize the interest of the governments in articulating this entire axis that the Uruguay River represents, the natural values that each of the municipalities and departments of the province of Entre Ríos have to generate a biological corridor with an international projection. We have experience in the Extremadura region in doing this type of work, which is why we have made one of our technicians available to work and develop very valuable projects where international cooperation can intervene, providing funding. Because we see that there is raw material, there is natural value, and above all, will and interest from the authorities to carry out this process of natural preservation, but also of development of the populations, being a tourist resource”
THE ACTION OF THE URUGUAY RIVER BASIN COMMITTEE
Daniel Bentancourt pointed out that, although the relationship with FELCODE has existed for many years, at this moment the fruits of the work are beginning to be seen. “Since an opportunity is opening up to resume the socio-environmental theme of the region and transform it into a unit for development with ambitious projects for the entire basin. “That is why we have thought of three sub-regions in which we have been working: the tri-national one, the middle zone in the Salto Grande region, with everything that has been developed from a political point of view between Concordia and Salto and which has been an example of thinking about the future in a shared way, and now also the southern zone of the province (Gualeguaychú and Fray Bentos) are areas of enormous opportunity in relation to tourism development, which we must promote, but also preserve”
The member of the Basin Committee highlighted in this sense the role of the mayor Enrique Cresto in the entire process of recognition and strengthening of said institution. “Enrique had a lot to do with it because he has a geopolitical vision of the region and the development perspectives for the province that shows that the objectives he set have been achieved; the Airport work is no coincidence, the navigability project of the Uruguay River with barges is no coincidence, and all the projects he achieved for his city in environmental matters. That is why we have recognized him for his work, for his permanent contribution to the consolidation of the Committee, and his commitment to the integration process of the municipalities located within the Basin”
For her part, María de los Ángeles Petit highlighted that this is a recognition that we value a lot, since Mayor Cresto continuously worked during these years to achieve the development of the region, regardless of political borders. Thus, international funding has been obtained for major infrastructure works such as the Concordia International Airport, the Water Plant, and the effluent treatment plant, and support for the works of the Fruit and Vegetable Center and the barge bridge on the eastern coast was coordinated with the Salto Mayor's Office”.
But also in this assessment, “the work of the Mayor during his management at ENOHSA was fundamentally recognized, since in just 2 years, 91 sanitation works were executed and are currently being executed in the departments of Entre Ríos that are part of the Uruguay River basin, from Federación to Islas de Ibicuy, with a total investment of $ 12,077,569,142.31, which means making the use of water resources more efficient, advancing towards safe water, and fulfilling the commitment of Sustainable Development Goal No. 6, for which he was recognized at the UN when taking stock of Argentina's work on the 2030 Agenda SDGs. An action that sought to sanitize and preserve this vital resource for the province, which is the Uruguay River”