BGR and Paraguay celebrate 20 years of geoscientific partnership

BGR and Paraguay celebrated the 20^th anniversary of their technical co-operation. One hundred representatives of politics, administration, science and society were invited to the celebration event in Paraguay’s capital Asunción. The successful geoscientific co-operation was praised in speeches by the Paraguayan Environment Minister Oscar Rivas, the German ambassador Dietmar Blaas and BGR President Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Kümpel.

The Environment Minister of Paraguay O. Rivas giving his anniversary speech at the Centro de Convenciones Caramelitas in Asunción. To his right, BGR President Prof. Dr. H.-J. Kümpel Source: BGR

Environment Minister Rivas explained that the lengthy co-operation between BGR geoscientists and Paraguayan experts is a groundbreaking example of modern partnership between two countries. BGR President Kümpel highlighted the aims of development co-operation in his speech: “We aim to support our partner countries in their economic and social development by assisting them with technical expertise and modern equipment. This has been implemented very successfully in Paraguay over the last 20 years.”

Anniversary celebrations in Asunción with Ambassador D. Blaas, Minister B. Esquivel Vaesken from the planning authority, and BGR President Prof. Dr. H.-J. Kümpel (2nd to 4th from left) Source: BGR

Many former participants of technical co-operation projects undertaken during the last 20 years also attended the celebrations. BGR scientists have been working in Paraguay since 1990 on technical co-operation projects on behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development. They mainly supported their Paraguayan colleagues in the geological mapping of the country, exploring for natural resources, and dealing with environmental-geological issues. BGR experts are currently involved in water protection and regional planning projects. Working together with the competent water agencies in Chaco in Paraguay, the scientists taking part in these projects carried out groundwater protection investigations, also with the aim of improving drinking water supplies, particularly for the indigenous Indian population. They advised their South American project partners in the construction of small water reservoirs known as “Tajamare”, the building of cisterns, and water pipeline lying in arid regions.

BGR President Prof. Dr. H.-J. Kümpel and BGR Project Manager Dr. G. Houben in a former quartzite quarry near Areguá Source: BGR

The current projects being carried out together with the Paraguayan Environment Ministry focus on environmentally-compatible regional planning, as well as sustainable resource protection. The co-operation is targeted at improving water, soil and landscape protection. The three BGR experts currently working in Paraguay are involved here in identifying locations for landfills, and assisting their South American partners in elaborating the necessary approval and operating procedures. This project runs to the end of 2011 and involves the Paraguayan cities of Coronel Oviedo, Caaguazú, Villarrica and Areguá as well as the two regional governments in Guariá and Caaguazú.

BGR Project Manager Dr. G. Houben explaining the groundwater conditions at Benjamin Aceval to BGR President Prof. Dr. H.-J. Kümpel and members of the BGR delegation Source: BGR

Part of the 20^th anniversary celebrations involved the inauguration by the Environment Minister Rivas and BGR President Kümpel of a new environmental and regional planning office in the Benjamin Acevalein municipality in the current project area not far from Asuncion.

Soil investigations for the identification of landfill sites Source: BGR

The current co-operation agreement also includes a second project being implemented by the BGR with the Water Protection Department of the Paraguayan Environment Ministry. A more efficient water management system is to be implemented with the help of local partners in selected areas with different groundwater protection needs (cities, agricultural areas, and arid zones). The results are to be applied in other parts of Paraguay in the future.

Education material on groundwater protection. BGR Project Manager Dr. G. Houben hands out colourful info brochures to children in Benjamin Aceval village Source: BGR

Fundamental information for this project is provided by an earlier supra-regional project which also involved BGR:  Paraguay together with the neighbouring countries of Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil explored the groundwater reserves of the Guaraní aquifer which extends into all four countries, and implemented the necessary protection measures.

Taking samples from surface water for pollutant analysis Source: BGR