People living in and around Morcote have traditionally felt isolated from regional and national government and their daily lives are threatened by intermittent guerilla activity. BP has taken steps to help them, by establishing and innovative tri-sector partnership for the construction of a 22km road link between Morcote and the town of Nunchia.
Oil has provided an economic life-line to the Casanare region of Colombia, but with production levels now in decline (having peaked in 1999) great care is needed to continue sustainable economic prosperity, independent of oil revenues.
BP has operated in Casanare since 1987, currently contributing to 40% of Colombia’s total oil production. During 2003 we were involved in exploration activities near the remote hamlet of Morcote, located in the mountainous Niscota area.
People living in and around Morcote have traditionally felt isolated from regional and national government and their daily lives are threatened by intermittent guerilla activity. BP has taken steps to help them, by establishing an innovative tri-sector partnership for the construction of a 22km road link between Morcote and the town of Nunchia.
The road was completed with BP working together with national and regional government, NGOs, the military and most importantly, the local communities. Now open, the road delivers benefits for all those involved in its conception and creation, including easier access to better commercial, health and education services, with journey times reduced by as much as 80%.
The Morcote-Nunchia road project demonstrates the many different benefits that collaborations of this kind can bring. BP was proud to be involved, and to have made a lasting contribution to this part of the world.