The two countries have resumed coordination meetings following an incident in July that affected two Chileans who arrived on Bolivian territory to recover a stolen truck.
Chile and Bolivia this Thursday agreed on a work program in various areas of cooperation. Border security, smuggling control, etc. in 15th Border Integration Committee Meeting.
The meeting, held for the first time in six years in the Chilean city of Arica, developed an “agenda of mutual benefit.” The plan was launched on Wednesday under the direction of Chile’s Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Gloria de la Fuente and Bolivia’s Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Benjamín Blanco.
According to a joint statement from the two foreign ministries, the work plan covers, among other things, customs issues, integrated border management, combating smuggling, road and border infrastructure, migration, health, risks and disaster response.
Alternatives to improve “rail and air connectivity” between the two countries will also be evaluated.
The work plan would establish a “permanent monitoring mechanism” through each foreign ministry.
For Undersecretary Gloria de la Fuente, “The Border and Integration Commission is key to a series of things that will unite us as two countries that share a vast border and will directly benefit the quality of life of our people. ”
Blanco said the meeting was the culmination of a painstaking joint coordination effort between the governments of Luis Arce in Bolivia and Gabriel Boric in Chile to build mutual trust and adopt measures and commitments that will benefit the people. ”. ”
Bolivia proposed combating smuggling through the opening of “new border crossings” or “improving the functioning of border facilities.”
Similarly, it was proposed to “improve Bolivia’s capacity in fuel imports” through the state-run Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB).
Both governments believe it is necessary to “reopen” the Executive Committee and “deepen the Economic Complementary Agreement (ACE22)” between Chile and Bolivia.
The agreement was signed in 1993 with the aim of increasing commercial and investment opportunities, but last year a meeting attended by government officials from both countries as well as Chilean and Bolivian businessmen proposed an “update” to the agreement. Ta.
Bolivia and Chile have resumed coordination meetings following events that affected two Chileans who arrived on Bolivian territory in July to recover a truck stolen from their country. It ended with one of them being injured by gunfire and unable to walk.
In mid-August, in La Paz, Bolivia and Chile signed two agreements to prevent the theft of Chilean vehicles sold in Bolivia, human trafficking and smuggling, as well as coordination on security issues.
Bolivia and Chile severed diplomatic relations in 1978, and since then they have maintained consular relations without an ambassador.
Source: Biobiochile
