President Jose Maria Balcazar announced that his administration will unblock the long-stalled Southern Gas Pipeline project, calling it a vital initiative to stimulate economic growth and social development across the nation’s southern regions.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 130th anniversary of the National Society of Industries and National Industry Day, Balcazar emphasized that reviving the pipeline would bring tangible change to historically neglected areas.

"We are going to unblock the Southern Gas Pipeline project," Balcazar said. "That would be a revolution for all our brothers and sisters in the south, not with words, but with realities, with truths."

The president stated that his administration and a technical Cabinet are focusing on high-impact projects that have been stalled for years.

He noted that the initiative began in the Puno region, where officials identified three major stalled projects backed by the World Bank.

According to Balcazar, the government has already unblocked a critical potable water project and restarted work on an international airport in the area.

Balcazar stressed that a combination of public and private investment is essential to narrow social gaps, create employment, and strengthen the government's presence throughout Peru.

"If we continue investing more in the south, we will have our Quechua and Aymara brothers and sisters on our side," he said.

The president also called for a shift toward an inclusive economy that prioritizes industrialization and value-added production over a strict reliance on raw material exports.

"We have to look toward an inclusive economy in the future, not just an extractive one, where minerals are taken abroad and do not allow industrialization within the country," Balcazar said. "That has to be corrected."

Balcazar concluded by urging business and industrial associations to actively participate in national policy debates, stating that the involvement of industrialists would lead to better public policy and development outcomes for the country.