The era of planning is here. As part of the economic growth of countries, infrastructure is one of the most important ways to meet the goals and commitments that each nation has set for itself. Infrastructure is the central driver of each country’s vision for the future; however, for it to be sustainable and resilient, different national and international agreements and plans must be taken into account.
We often hear that the fight against climate change is one of the most urgent priorities for the region. But consider the case of Ecuador. The country is going through fiscal and social difficulties. Can countries like Ecuador attend all three fiscal, social and environmental priorities at once?
Bolivia and Jamaica represent two faces of the geography of our atmosphere. While Bolivia offers breathtaking snowy mountains, typical of the Andes Cordillera, Jamaica brings paradise-like Caribbean beaches to the picture. Both countries sum up an aggregated population of nearly 15 million, a territory of more than 1.1 million square kilometers, and an impressive geographic, cultural and ethnic diversity.
Chile issued the first sovereign green bond of the American Continent on June 17th and marked a turning point for the Latin American region. With a USD 1.4 bn at 3.5% interest rate and dollar-denominated, the bond was overwhelmingly received by international investors and ground-breaking in several ways. More than 300 investors expressed interest for the transaction at an order book of almost USD 7 bn and with the lowest interest rate that Chile has ever paid.
The choices we make on how we travel can have a big impact on the climate. Just ask Greta Thunberg. The Swedish activist shuns flying, which generates roughly 100g of CO2 per km, in favor of the train clocking in at 15g per km.
Thinking about Perú brings to life images of breathtaking green valleys that are lost in sight, vibrant Inca infrastructure, and a world-class cultural and natural richness evident in its people, landscapes and culinary traditions. This 28th of July, we celebrate the social diversity and enriching culture of The Republic of Perú, on the anniversary of its Independence.
Home to more than 48 million people (1), Colombia is the fourth biggest economy in South America. With over 400.800 square miles and nearly 85 ecosystems made out of plains, rivers, coasts, moors and vibrant lungs of humid forests (2), Colombia is located in the northern border of the continent and serves as a natural habitat for more than 51.000 species, placing it among the most diverse countries on earth. In addition, nearly 4% of its total population belongs to one of its 80 ethnic groups; 1.45 million people, speaking over 65 native languages (3).
Monitoring and evaluating policies, projects and programs are particularly important for the development of any country. These two activities allow us to assess whether programs and projects are implemented efficiently, and to evaluate their success in terms of their objectives, goals and target population. Only if we know well how a plan is being implemented, and what results and impacts it has in the short, medium and long term, can we refine and improve the design of the policies on which these projects are built.
The chronic gap in infrastructure quality and quantity of the Latin American region requires a regime shift that sees the mobilization of private investors as an essential step. While data shows that the private sector has largely been more active in Latin America than in other developing-nation regions over the last decade, particularly in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru; unfortunately, private investment in the region’s infrastructure has faltered in recent years. After 2014, investment levels in infrastructure from both private and public sources in Latin America declined.