Argentina and Brazil: Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline will allow energy integration

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Argentine ambassador in Brasilia, Daniel Scioli, affirmed on Thursday that the construction of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline, whose works will start today in Neuquén by President Alberto Fernández, will allow consolidating the energy integration with Brazil.

“The commissioning of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline, a strategic work that will link Vaca Muerta with Saliquelló and then San Gerónimo, will allow consolidating this central issue in the agenda with Brazil, which is energy integration”, said the former governor of Buenos Aires.

Scioli remarked that these are “sectors that have a great capacity to generate genuine foreign currency” and added: “Thus we see food, energy, tourism, and I would add sustainable mining” in terms of integration.

“We see the interest in lithium and what will happen in the next few weeks due to the steps we have taken to expand investments in the automotive sector in our country with more integration”, he emphasized.

On the other hand, the ambassador in Brasilia anticipated that “in the next weeks,” there will be an expansion of (Brazilian) investments in the automotive sector” in Argentina, in the context of greater bilateral integration, with ambitious projections in terms of food and energy sovereignty.

He also revealed that last night he had telephone communication with the Minister of Economy, Martín Guzmán, who conveyed “the great impact and pleasant surprise” generated by statements made by his Brazilian counterpart, Paulo Guedes, regarding the future of the bilateral relationship.

“I had a conversation with the Minister of Economy, Martín Guzmán, who is at the G-20 Assembly, and he told me about the great impact and the pleasant surprise generated by the statements made by Paulo Guedes, the Brazilian Minister of Economy, when referring to Argentina and the work we are doing,” Scioli said.

He specified that Guedes said: “We are working very well. Together, we can guarantee food sovereignty and energy sovereignty in the region and from there, to other places such as Europe”.

Regarding tourism, he said that Brazil “has consolidated itself as the first country issuing tourists to Argentina”.

“The data with which we have started the year are very encouraging, and this is not by chance; it is the result of an articulated work with the Ministry of Tourism, Inprotur, with the provinces, with our embassy, consulates, and the different meetings we have had with travel agencies to promote Argentina and from Aerolíneas Argentinas which has made it possible to provide greater connectivity”, he said.

He said that “Argentina is not only competitive prices; it is infrastructure, a world-class gastronomic offer, hotels, and hospitality”.

“And we know that tourism is a generator of employment, of foreign currency income and Brazil, with the 35% increase in the first quarter, more than 450 thousand tourists who have arrived, consolidates itself as the first country of origin of tourists to Argentina”, he added, while welcoming the announcement of direct flights between Ushuaia and São Paulo.