Provincial officials attended the signing of an agreement with Codesul aimed at establishing formal connections, developing infrastructure, and supporting productive development, innovation, and sustainability.
Lunes 7 de julio de 2025
The Government of the Province of Santa Fe, together with the provinces of Córdoba and Entre Ríos that make up the Central Region, took a key step towards consolidating regional integration with southern Brazil. It was through the signing of a Letter of Commitment with the Council for Development and Southern Integration (Codesul), at a meeting held on 24 June in the city of Florianópolis, within the framework of the Cities Summit.
This was the first face-to-face meeting between the two regions, where it was agreed to move towards a future Memorandum of Understanding between governors to institutionalise bilateral cooperation. This agreement will be framed within the laws of both countries and the Mercosur guidelines.
The commitment includes the creation of a joint Working Group that will elaborate a specific action plan on infrastructure, with clear goals, defined deadlines and follow-up mechanisms. In addition, a strategic agenda was established to articulate policies and projects in key areas such as productive and commercial integration, innovation, technological development, public safety, environmental sustainability, infrastructure and logistics, with special attention to initiatives such as the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway.
The Government of Santa Fe was represented by the Secretary for International Relations, Claudio Díaz, and the Undersecretary for the Central Region and Regional Integration, Claudia Giaccone. Also taking part were authorities from Córdoba, headed by the Secretary for Regional Integration, Carlos Massei, and representatives of the four member states of Codesul, as well as Zicosur.
Santa Fe government directive to boost integration
Undersecretary Claudia Giaccone stressed the importance of the agreement as a concrete tool for regional strengthening. "It is a very important step forward because Codesul is a region with similar characteristics to the Central Region. Although it was created in 1961, its level of institutional development is an example. Its experience in working by commissions, in strategic infrastructure, and even in the creation of a regional development bank, marks a path to follow," he said.
Giaccone also stressed that this policy responds to a precise instruction from Governor Maximiliano Pullaro. "He asked us to identify international experiences of regions like ours that work in an integrated manner, to learn from these models, to get closer and establish links that strengthen the development of Santa Fe and the Central Region," she explained.
For his part, the Secretary for International Relations, Claudio Díaz, said that this is a milestone for the internationalisation agenda being pursued by the Government of Santa Fe. "This is an agreement between the productive engine of Argentina and the productive engine of Brazil, with a very solid economic and institutional base. We intend to work together on productive integration, technological development, security, sustainability, infrastructure and logistics," he said.
Díaz also stressed that the agreement contemplates moving forward with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise the bilateral relationship through the commitment of the governors themselves. "This will make it possible to institutionalise the link and give stability to cooperation in the medium and long term," he added.
What is Codesul?
The Council for Development and Southern Integration (Codesul) is a sub-national body made up of the Brazilian states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Mato Grosso do Sul. Its mission is to coordinate regional development actions, strengthen economic and social ties, and enhance the region's international projection.
Codesul promotes joint public policies, fosters the exchange of management experiences and promotes cooperation on key issues such as productive development, logistics, energy transition and environmental sustainability.
The alliance between Codesul and the Central Region seeks to establish a permanent channel of dialogue and integration between two blocs with complementary economies, a strong agro-industrial presence and a strategic geographical location for regional and international trade.
For the Government of Santa Fe, this agreement not only expands opportunities for economic development, innovation and job creation, but also strengthens a federal vision of international integration, where the provinces assume a leading and strategic role in building regional consensus.