Colombia and Venezuela would jointly undertake a border-region development program to fight poverty by investing in health, education and security, officials said Monday.

Jose Vielma, superintendent of Colombia's customs and tax authority, said both countries will contribute to the program which will be organized by the Presidential Commission for Integration and Frontier Matters.

The initiative will create jobs, massively boost access to education and health, and guarantee better security in the border regions, he said.

The Andean Development Corporation is currently evaluating these plans and may support them with a loan, he said.

Venezuela's Ambassador to Colombia Enrique Vargas said that border regions need such projects because they are often neglected, expressing the belief that the program would address the needs of both rural and urban residents.

Source: Xinhua