Paraguay Launches Infrastructure Council to Secure Continuity of Public Works

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The Government of Paraguay, through the Infrastructure Council, aims to ensure the continuity of public works throughout the country.

Paraguay is preparing to implement a new institutional model that will revolutionize the long-term management of public works through the creation of the Infrastructure Policy Council (CPI). This initiative, led by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), aims to guarantee the continuity of strategic infrastructure projects beyond changes in government, following Chile’s successful model that has proven effective over the past three decades.

The CPI will operate as a multisectoral body composed of former presidents, university representatives, business guilds, and civil society organizations. According to Amílcar Guillén, Director of Strategic Projects at the MOPC, this mechanism will shield infrastructure planning from the political swings that have historically disrupted large-scale projects in Paraguay, particularly those requiring several years to complete.

Among the projects that will benefit from this institutional framework is the Asunción-Ypacaraí commuter train, a project valued at approximately USD 600 million and part of the 2023–2028 Infrastructure Master Plan. The train line will cover 44 kilometers with 16 preliminary stations. Technical studies are already advanced, and the prequalification of interested companies is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2024. The project will use a mixed financing scheme combining USD 150 million in state funds with private sector investment through public-private partnerships.