CAF, ECLAC, IDB and PAHO advance equity and sustainable development in the Americas at the G20 Summit in Brazil

November 20, 2024

news

November 19, 2024

Presentation :

The regional organizations of the Americas – the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) – congratulate the Brazilian government on its highly successful presidency of the G20. In particular, the organizations commend the ability of the Brazilian G20 presidency to build consensus on critical development issues, including poverty and hunger, global governance, and climate change. Through this joint statement, the organizations reaffirm their commitment to translating the aspirations of the Brazilian G20 presidency into concrete actions that promote equity and sustainable development in the Americas.

Context :

For the first time, four regional organizations from the Americas were formally engaged by a G20 Presidency, reflecting the region’s unique role in shaping global development. Throughout Brazil’s G20 Presidency, CAF, ECLAC, IDB, and PAHO provided technical expertise, regional vision, and strategic guidance in line with their respective mandates. Led by the Inter-American Development Bank, which chaired this year’s Group of Directors of Multilateral Development Banks, the MDBs issued a position paper outlining 16 key objectives for joint action. The G20 incorporated 14 of these objectives into its Roadmap for MDB Reform. Brazil’s theme, “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet,” reflects our shared mission: to promote inclusive growth, equity, and resilience in the Americas.

The launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, a highlight of Brazil’s presidency, underscores the urgency of coordinated and targeted investments to address persistent inequalities. In the Americas, this challenge is particularly acute, with deep-rooted inequalities undermining progress despite vibrant economic potential. The organizations will work together to promote sustainable and equitable growth and regional collaboration while supporting their member countries’ work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Regional coordination for regional challenges

The Americas are a region of contrasts: economic prosperity for some groups coexists with persistent poverty and hunger, revealing the systemic and multidimensional inequalities that limit inclusive social development and economic growth. Reversing this situation requires bold, multisectoral action that draws on our collective expertise to accelerate change and scale up evidence-based best practices.

Organizational commitments within the framework of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty

In addition to the commitment to cooperate and promote more integrated approaches, each of our organizations will take up the legacy of the G20 2024 process through the following actions to promote equity and fight hunger and poverty in the Americas:

Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean – CAF
- CAF is committed to fighting poverty and inequality by improving the lives of vulnerable populations. The bank aims to allocate $22 billion by 2035 to provide financing and technical assistance to improve infrastructure and expand access to essential services such as healthcare, education and food security. In addition, CAF will promote social protection mechanisms to have a direct impact on key social indicators.
  
  To further its mission, CAF will prioritize improving health services in Amazonian communities affected by diseases such as malaria. The bank will also strengthen countries’ capacity to develop evidence-based policies and develop institutions through technical assistance and training. By fostering partnerships, CAF aims to mobilize resources and knowledge to advance SDG 3. CAF is also committed to optimizing resource allocation and aligning its efforts with the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty. The bank currently has $1.6 billion in financial resources dedicated to the fight against hunger and poverty, including $865 million approved for 2023 and 2024.
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean – ECLAC
- Hunger and poverty run counter to inclusive social development, affecting the exercise of rights and the well-being of those who suffer from them. They also act as a brake on economic growth and productive development. ECLAC is committed to providing technical assistance, strengthening the exchange of information and knowledge on public policies and collaborating with other members of the Alliance to develop innovative solutions, mobilize financial resources and share good practices to combat hunger, poverty and inequality.
Inter-American Development Bank – IDB
- The IsDB has committed to providing up to $25 billion in financing to support the Alliance’s policies and country-led programs to end hunger and poverty. It has also committed to ensuring that at least 50,000,000 of newly approved IsDB projects and 60,000,000 of IsDB Lab projects will directly benefit vulnerable populations. The IsDB also aims to serve as a key financing arm for the Alliance, continuing the reallocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) from the International Monetary Fund as a hybrid financing mechanism to multilateral development banks.
  
  In addition, the IDB could provide up to $200 million in technical assistance to its member countries to design, implement, evaluate, improve and evolve priority policies and programs under the Alliance.
Pan American Health Organization – PAHO
- Given that ending hunger and poverty is essential to ensuring healthy lives for all, and that equitable access to health is crucial to accelerating progress in these areas, PAHO will support the Global Alliance by working with other members to develop policies that strengthen primary health care, boost disease elimination efforts, and ensure equitable access to services to combat noncommunicable diseases and other critical health problems. In addition, PAHO will collaborate with Alliance partners to provide technical assistance, capacity building, training, and knowledge sharing, emphasizing the interdependence of achieving SDG 3 with combating poverty, hunger, and food insecurity, while promoting socioeconomic inclusion.