Finance Minister Alfredo Thorne

Madrid (Spain), (NNN-ANDINA) : Peru is set to connect itself with the world through infrastructure and relies on a major list of projects to this end, Economy-Finance Minister Alfredo Thorne said.

The government official referred to a series of projects previously addressed by President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, namely ports, airports and highways.

“There is an enormous list of infrastructure projects that Iberian companies could take part in,” Thorne said during a Madrid forum on Peru’s challenges and opportunities.

Remarks were made during “El Peru del Futuro” (Peru of the Future) forum, organized by Spanish leading daily El Pais.

While a number of Spanish construction firms already operate in the Inca country, the Finance head assured “there is room for more.”

In this sense, the economist invited Spanish companies to participate in the Ica-Barranca commuter train project, a venture that “will greatly contribute to Peru’s growth.”

“I think this [infrastructure] should give us a major long-term growth boost of around one percentage point,” the government official projected.

On the other hand, Thorne highlighted Spain’s financial support to the modernization of Talara oil refinery, as well as its presence in Peru’s telecommunications sector.

Facilitating investments

Minister Thorne also addressed investment-facilitating measures like the re-structuring of State-run Private Investment Promotion Agency (ProInversion), following the model of international counterparts.

In this respect, he explained the Economy-Finance Ministry intends to simplify proceedings to lure more investments.

Incoming capitals would allow Peru’s infrastructure sector to bloom, thus uniting the country and connecting it with the rest of the world.