JUJUY HAS POSITIONED ITSELF AS ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING INVESTMENT DESTINATIONS, NOT ONLY IN ARGENTINA BUT ALSO IN THE REGION. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT ITS MAIN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES?

 

The world looks at Jujuy differently now, with seriousness, appreciating the transformation experienced by the Province from the daily reconstruction of its institutions, which implies the recovery of peace, rule of law and legal security. China, Italy, Canada and Brazil are some of the countries that have shown interest and are willing to invest in the multiple possibilities offered by our Province, attracted particularly by the opportunities that were opened through the process of transformation of the productive matrix. 

 

Renewable energies, specifically photovoltaic solar, sustainable exploitation of lithium and tourism are strategic axes in the new economic scenario, which positions the province as a global reference in these issues. Our country’s energy transition, specifically in the field of solar energy, is being embraced by our Province, which is home to some of the world’s highest solar irradiation levels and is targeting 3GW of solar power deployment. We are working with foreign investment partners and we will soon have a very important solar project that will generate 300MW in our Province. 

 

Jujuy is also experiencing significant progress in other sectors. Thanks to the enactment of the Industrial Promotion Law by the Legislature, we have created the framework to facilitate investments from companies and create jobs in the industrial sector. We have established two free zones that will become pillars of our development, increasing the possibilities in terms of volume and quality for local and regional products, as well as international ones. 

 

Tourism is another activity that has a great dynamizing effect and this is why we are advancing with the construction of a new airport which will serve the demands of the regional and international markets, with regular flights designed to receive visitors from all origins. Hence the decision to target Brazil, one of the main tourism distribution centers in the region. Bolivia is also one of our priorities with the creation of an internal tourist circuit that links the country with offers of the provinces of Mendoza, Misiones and Jujuy. We believe that we can add value on low-cost services through a comprehensive strategy based on our competitive advantages. The tourism sector is a source of opportunity, not only in terms of services but also for producers and artisans who have earned international recognition that makes us proud. 

Jujuy is one of the richest provinces in Argentina and with our efforts to transform its productive matrix, we are attracting record investments. We will also be reinforcing traditional industries such as tobacco and sugar. In the tobacco industry for example, when we assumed power there were 13,240 hectares planted and today there are 15,373, which has generated over 2000 new jobs. 

 

JUJUY IS CONSIDERED AN EXAMPLE OF SUSTAINABLE MINING. WHAT ARE THE CENTRAL AXES OF THE JUJUY MINING MODEL AND UPCOMING PROJECTS?

 

Jujuy is the National Capital of Mining in Argentina and in recent years the direction outlined for this sector makes our province legitimate in deserving this distinction. Investments in this sector are returning as shown by the recent investment of $81 million in the Pirquitas Mine. To this is added our venture into lithium from Sales de Jujuy that has allocated an investment of $270 million and volume of 45,000 tons, creating 43 direct and 1,300 indirect jobs. 

 

In addition, Minera Exar has invested $430 million to operate another lithium deposit in the Puna that is expected to produce 25,000 tons creating 1400 indirect and 500 direct jobs. We are expecting over $1 billion investments in the lithium sector in the next years. Control, management and transparency, aiming towards a Green Jujuy, are the foundations of the sustainable mining model that distinguishes our Province from others. To build a Green Jujuy is to prioritize the sustainability and the preservation of the natural heritage. 

 

With the fine-tuning of the Unified Mining Registry, we have identified 600 thousand hectares of available areas for mining exploration and exploitation in the Province. In this sense, the intervention of the Jujuy Energy and Mining Company (JEMSE) guarantees the participation of the people of Jujuy in each endeavor, safeguarding their interests, not only economic and commercial but also environmental. In this direction, we have accelerated environmental impact assessments and nine were carried out only in 2017.