Chinese firm wins bid for Bolivia's highway construction

A Chinese firm has won the bid to construct a highway in Bolivia, state-owned Bolivian Highway Management (ABC) announced Monday.

ABC said that it had awarded China's International Waters and Electric Corp. (CWE) a contract to pave the Trinidad-San Ignacio de Moxos Highway in Bolivia's Amazon region.

CWE has a lot of experience in highways and hydroelectric plants, and also manages large budgets annually, ABC regional manager Guevork Ocampo told reporters.

The contract will be signed at the end of October, said Ocampo, adding that once the document is signed, CWE will have three months to mobilize its equipment and set up camps.

Bolivia's government has already secured investment for the project through the Ministry of Planning and Development.

The highway is to be paved in two tracts, the first linking San Ignacio de Moxos and Fatima, a distance of some 41.6 km, and the second connecting Fatima with Puerto Ganadero, at 36.2 km long.

The route links important communities and helps promote cattle-ranching and lumber activity in the area, and is conducive to agriculture.