Weekly Report - 19 March 2008 (ISSN 1741-7422)

BOLIVIA | New head of YPFB named. President Evo Morales appointed Santos Ramí­rez last week as the new president of Bolivia's state gas company, YPFB, the fifth in the last two years. A prominent ex-senator from the ruling Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), Ramí­rez helped write landmark 2005 legislation which increased the government's share of Bolivia's gas profits. Morales came under increasing pressure to address the country's gas situation following the admission that Bolivia would not be able to meet all of its regional export commitments in the short term, which has led to tensions between Brazil and Argentina. This week Ramí­rez is expected to present a 10-point plan for the "re-launching" of YPFB, which has faced difficulties and scandals in its restructuring process. The plan includes provisions for turning YPFB into a holding company, intensifying the process of nationalising the energy sector and improving mechanisms for contracting services. Government officials said that investment in 2008 would total some US$1.27bn designed to boost gas production and guarantee provision to Bolivia's export markets.

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