US$85 million for urban development in Brazil

(Brasilia, December 22, 2010).– CAF – Latin American development bank – approved US$50 million for the Brazilian municipality of Fortaleza, Ceará state, for its tourism development program, and US$35 million for Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás state, to support the city’s urban restructuring.

On the loan granted to Fortaleza municipality, Enrique García, president & CEO of the Latin American financial institution, said "CAF set up the Program to Support Municipal and State Governments Venues for the 2014 Football World Cup in Brazil, to partially finance projects related to economic and social infrastructure and basic services, and environment, by means of individual loans to each city Venue of the Cup."

"The funds for Fortaleza prefecture will finance execution of the Program in this municipal capital of Ceará state, developing tourism activity, by deepening reforms which stimulate investment in infrastructure for the sports event and at the same time generate positive impacts for the city and the quality of life of its citizens," García added.

The CAF funds will be used for investments to expand coverage of basic infrastructure and services for the city, including preparation of engineering studies, execution of strategic plans to support tourism activity, marketing of tourism activity and, especially, execution of works such as remodeling the Playa del Futuro area, recovery of Plaza 31 de Marzo, development of the Santa Terezinha Housing Complex and Recovery of Avenida Beira Mar.

Urban restructuring of Aparecida de Goiânia

To partially finance execution of the Urban Restructuring Program of Aparecida Goiânia municipality, CAF approved US$35 million for the municipal prefecture.

The Program will make the city’s urban structure compatible with the level of development experienced over the last decade. The funds will finance infrastructure works for new paving and restoration of paving in poor condition along structural axes and urban routes; expansion of a sewerage system; development of a Technology Center; expansion of the water storage system, along with an institutional strengthening component for municipal management.

"The works are expected to improve the quality of life of the population through savings in the cost of vehicle use, reduction of insurance claims, travel times, development of business along the routes to be paved, and a decrease in the morbidity and mortality rates caused by the low level of health coverage," García said.

Goiânia de Aparecida in Goiás state, central-west region of Brazil, has a population of over 475,000. The BR153 trunk road crosses the municipality and – combined with industrial promotion policies – has influenced the location of industries in the region which have rapidly transformed the city into an industrial pole with rapid demographic growth. The population has grown at an average annual rate of 4.26% over the past two decades, which positions it as the Brazilian city with third fastest population growth.