News Stories

CODEVASF: Mobile District hosts Brazilian agency

Public Affairs Office
Published Jan. 9, 2015
Mobile District hosted a delegation of foreign nationals November 2 - 9 from the Companhia de Desenvolvimento dos Vales do São Francisco e do Parnaíba (CODEVASF).

Mobile District hosted a delegation of foreign nationals November 2 - 9 from the Companhia de Desenvolvimento dos Vales do São Francisco e do Parnaíba (CODEVASF).

Mobile district Commander Col. Jon Chytka presented each of the Brazilian nationals from CODEVASF with the Commander's coin.

Mobile district Commander Col. Jon Chytka presented each of the Brazilian nationals from CODEVASF with the Commander's coin.

Mobile District hosted a delegation of foreign nationals November 2 - 9 from the Companhia de Desenvolvimento dos Vales do São Francisco e do Parnaíba (CODEVASF). The Brazilian agency is a semi-private governmental agency with a mission to help develop the São Francisco River Valley in Brazil for navigation, bank stabilization and economic development of local communities along the river.

 

This was an official meet and greet of senior level representatives and an advancement of the current three-year agreement between CODEVASF and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District.

 

USACE Mobile District is the lead agency for providing expertise and technology transfer in the areas of navigation, dredging, bank stabilization and restoration of environmental habitat. The district’s Latin America Section, Engineering Division, Planning Division and Operations Division are supporting this agreement. In addition, several districts, divisions, laboratories and centers around USACE are providing subject matter experts.

 

The remainder of the visit included Mobile District employees accompanying the Brazilian representatives to the USACE Engineer Research & Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, Mississippi; the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Laboratory and the USACE Risk Management Center in Denver; and the Portland District Bonneville Dam and Columbia River projects.

 

After the tour was completed, CODEVASF signed a one-year extension to its current agreement with USACE Mobile District.

 

“This is a great opportunity to build lasting relations and share knowledge between key agencies in Brazil and the U.S. It is also a highly successful program utilizing Mobile District and USACE-wide technical experts,” Wade Ross, a district employee supported CODEVASF’s visit, said.