Venezuela Seeks Iran Help for Reconstruction
CARACAS (EFE) -- Venezuela is seeking Iran's help in developing its construction materials industry and ensuring three million homes are built before the end of the decade.
"Brothers of Iran, we're still asking for your help. We need to develop our construction materials industry, which is vital if there is to be an explosion in housing construction," Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said in a ceremony attended by Iranian Industry Minister Muhammad Reza Nematzadeh.
In 2011, Venezuela's government launched a government-funded program - known as the Great Housing Mission - aimed at building three million homes by 2019 to address a severe housing shortage.
Three years later, around 600,000 low-income families have received homes built by companies based in Iran, Russia, China and Belarus, the government says.
Once the target has been achieved, Venezuela will "have a modern housing construction industry" capable of "exporting homes" to other countries, Maduro said.
The Iranian minister is in Venezuela as part of a high-level delegation attending an Iran-Venezuela Mixed Commission meeting, which began Tuesday in Caracas.
Nematzadeh and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez met at that gathering and reviewed ongoing bilateral projects and agreements the two nations have signed over the past 15 years.
In 2011, Venezuela's government launched a government-funded program - known as the Great Housing Mission - aimed at building three million homes by 2019 to address a severe housing shortage.
Three years later, around 600,000 low-income families have received homes built by companies based in Iran, Russia, China and Belarus, the government says.
Once the target has been achieved, Venezuela will "have a modern housing construction industry" capable of "exporting homes" to other countries, Maduro said.
The Iranian minister is in Venezuela as part of a high-level delegation attending an Iran-Venezuela Mixed Commission meeting, which began Tuesday in Caracas.
Nematzadeh and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez met at that gathering and reviewed ongoing bilateral projects and agreements the two nations have signed over the past 15 years.