On Thursday, the government of the Province of Santa Fe signed two international financing agreements for a total of 83 million dollars for strategic energy efficiency projects in public buildings and water defence works in the city of San Javier.
The negotiations were spearheaded by the provincial Ministry of Economy, in coordination with multilateral lending agencies.
"This financing achievement is the result of a constant management of resources for the realization of investments made by the Provincial Government. Within this framework, the economic team is dedicated to the management of financing in the capital market," said the Minister of Economy, Pablo Olivares.
Specifics
On the one hand, the French Development Agency (AFD) approved a loan of 50 million euros (equivalent to about 58 million dollars) to implement an ambitious plan to reduce energy consumption in hospitals, schools and airports. The initiative envisages a 40 percent reduction in energy consumption in the buildings concerned, through infrastructure refurbishment, installation of energy-efficient technology and climate adaptation.
Among the buildings included are the airports of Sauce Viejo and Rosario, the José María Cullen Hospital in Santa Fe and the Centenario Hospital in Rosario, as well as more than 20 schools throughout the province.
The project also includes institutional strengthening actions for the promotion of energy efficiency and climate resilience in public services.
"The objective is to optimise the use of resources, reduce energy costs and improve access to public services in renovated, efficient spaces that are better prepared to face extreme weather events," explained the Ministry of Economy.
At the same time, the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) approved a loan of 25 million dollars to guarantee the continuity and completion of the water defence works in San Javier.
The intervention aims to mitigate the risk of flooding and stabilise the ravines in the eastern part of the coastal city, which has historically been exposed to flood emergencies.
The work had begun with financing from the Federal Regional Infrastructure Trust Fund, backed by the Andean Development Corporation (CAF), but suffered an interruption in July 2024 after the National Government cut off transfers, despite the fact that the funds had been previously approved. Since then, the province decided to continue the work with its own resources while it sought international financing alternatives.
Institutional and financial solidity
Both operations are part of the actions undertaken by the Santa Fe government in the search for external resources for the development of strategic infrastructure, in a context of national restrictions on transfers and a fall in public investment.
The economic portfolio underlined that these operations not only represent a key injection for concrete projects, but also international recognition of the institutional and financial solidity of the province, which maintains balanced accounts and rigorous compliance with its commitments.