Uruguay and Argentina will seek to revitalize the border between Gualeguaychú and Fray Bentos

Uruguay and Argentina attended a historic event at the first meeting of the Fray Bentos binational committee – Gualeguaychú after 25 years, after the conflict over the installation of pulp plants in the country; and one of the topics that was discussed in that first meeting for which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRREE) worked hard, it was the possibility of revitalizing the border between both cities.

He Las Canas Spa (Brother Bentos, Black River) was the scene of the historic event that marked a rapprochement between both shores of the Silver River after almost 25 years without the meeting of the Fray Bentos Border Integration Committee – Gualeguaychú. There, one of the main themes, as can be seen from the final minutes to which he agreed Scope, was the variety of actions, ongoing and future, that are carried out with the objective of revitalizing the border area.

In this regard, the first commission within the binational committee was Border Facilitation and Security. There they mainly talked about Integrated Control Area (ACI)and the works that are being carried out in the Uruguayan city, which include the construction of a hostel, the modernization of the control booths and the general modernization of the infrastructure.

Another point that is still pending, meanwhile, is the construction of a free shop, which would be completed before the end of the year; while it is planned to expand the truck parking area by another four hectares.

These measures will contribute to greater movement on the border—especially with the opening of free shops, as well as the expansion of truck parking—which will be accompanied by greater security control, among which the incorporation of of a system of biometrics implemented by the National Directorate of Migration of Uruguaywhich was also checked by the Argentine office.

Regarding this, the minutes of the meeting of the National Integration Committee indicate that data preloading will be enabled starting in February.

Likewise, the importance of a single window that brings together the procedures related to the nautical tourism; and the increase in security planned in the ACI for the summer season was raised.

A new cross-border transport

The Infrastructure, Production and Tourism Commission It was the space in which one of the great pending issues for the border between Fray Bentos and Gualeguaychú arose: a public transport that connects both cities through the international bridge. “It is a priority demand of the population,” notes the final minutes of the meeting.

In this regard, it was agreed to advance a study of the current market situation, as well as a survey of information to be able to present to the private companies and carry out a called to concession with the objective of responding to the claim and the need for greater connectivity; something that would clearly go in the same line of revitalization of the area.

However, the Uruguayan representatives recalled that, on previous occasions, the private sector did not show interest in the route due to the lack of profitability therefore, even by reinforcing dialogue from the public sector, it is possible that the initiative will not prosper. In any case, it was agreed to bring the matter to the Binational Table —oriented to tourism issues on the Uruguayan and Argentine coasts— and then make the call to private companies.

Also included on the agenda was the possibility of establishing a binational supplier program; and the expansion of the tourist agenda and events through greater coordination and promotion.