The Government approved four model contracts that will make it possible to advance in the granting of loans for up to US$465 million by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). This is good news in a context of scarcity of Dollars for Argentina, in which the BCRA reserves they come badly beaten.
These credits will be destined to finance programs to strengthen urban waste managementagricultural health services and the sustainability of the country’s marine resources and with a repayment term of 25 years, a grace period of 5 and a half years and an interest rate based on SOFR (an interest rate published by Banco de the New York Federal Reserve).
These model contracts were approved by decrees 138/2023, 139/2023 and 140/2023, published this Tuesday in the Official Gazette.
A waste management program
The first of them foresees a Conditional Credit line for investment projects for up to US$300 million for a term of twelve years for the Integral Management of Urban Solid Waste Program. As part of the line, a first operation of US$70 million from the IDB was approved, which will have an additional contribution of US$50 million from the EIB and another US$17.5 million from the national budget.
The objective of the program is to improve the comprehensive management of urban waste in the country by improving the quality of final disposal, increasing recycling tasks; and mitigating the negative environmental impacts of open-air dumps through their closure, sanitation, and reconversion.
The works to be carried out with the loan include the design and construction of sanitation systems (methane capture, separation, transfer, recovery and waste treatment plants), as well as infrastructure and equipment to support urban recyclers, as indicated in the contracts. Another axis will be the formalization and inclusion of informal recovery workers with an approach that favors the participation of women and people with disabilities.
Support for agricultural health
On the other hand, another contract model was approved for a loan of up to US$125 million with the IDBin this case, to support the strengthening of agricultural health services and the sustainability of marine resources of the National Agrifood Health and Quality Service (Senasa) and the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP).
With the credit will be sought improve the effectiveness of pest and disease control and prevention with the modernization of prediction and monitoring systems, and the increase in the diagnostic capacity of laboratories.
It will also strengthen border control posts and health barriers with new infrastructure and equipment, the construction of a pre-sampling center to control fruit and a new quarantine station with high biosecurity standards for the accommodation of imported animals.
The financing will also be used to build new territorial offices, training centers and regional laboratories for Senasa and new highly complex equipment for its central laboratory. And, in the case of INIDEP, it is expected finance the design and construction of a modern “Ice Class” research vessel with low noise emission and high technical capabilities for oceanographic research, new offices and laboratories for its headquarters and an increase in research on climate impact on marine resources.
Source: Ambito
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