By Robin Brundell / Business News Americas

Colombia's government has decided to build a highway leading to the Darién Gap, with hopes to later connect with northern neighbor Panama, a Colombian highway administration (Invías) official told BNamericas.

The road is part of the two country's efforts to improve gas, electricity and road connections between the two nations in a plan estimated to cost US$780mn, reported press in both countries.

Although the Panamanian government has repeatedly backed the connection of gas and electricity lines with Colombia, it has opposed road links across the famous Darién Gap, a 26,000 sq km area of dense jungle that acts as a natural and almost impassable divide between Central and South America.

Despite the Panamanians' reservations about opening up the Darién Gap, "Colombia's decision is to start building the road in 2007 and wait for Panama to make a decision on the section of the road on the Panamanian side of the border," the official said.

Although the route for the road has not yet been defined, there are 11 alternatives with one of the most feasible being a 148km highway from the El Tigre area, through Lomas Aisladas and Palo de Letras, eventually reaching Yaviza in Panama, 230km southeast of Panama City and the point where the Pan-American highway halts.

The road would cost US$231mn, according to calculations by Colombian officials presented at a business conference in Cartagena last weekend.

"Construction would be financed with national government funds," the Invías official said, adding that the project would not be offered for concession.

The Colombian government is keen to open up the area because it will bolster security in a region that witnesses frequent movement of right and left-wing guerrillas and traffic of arms and drugs.

However, Panama has been against bridging the Darién Gap because not only does it act as a frontier against most human incursion, but it also has prevented the northward spread of foot-and-mouth disease and the screwworm, which also affects cattle.

There are also logistical problems due to the density of the jungle and the existence of dangerous swamps in the region, as well as the Darién national park in Panamanian territory

"The Panamanian government and environmentalists have been opposed to the construction of the road due to security and ecological reasons," added the official.

However, "the ecological impact would be minimal and security conditions would be improved in the border zone," Colombian transport ministry official Juan de Dios Cisneros was quoted as saying by Panama daily La Prensa.

The Darién Gap is the only break along the Pan-American Highway, which stretches from Alaska to southern Chile.

 Wednesday, November 23, 2011