Annual Report - Agence Française de Développement

AFD2012 ACTIONSMEETING URBAN ANDENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGESIN LATIN AMERICAIn Latin America, AFD promotes green andinclusive growth among central and localgovernments and public enterprises. In theCaribbean region, the Agency supportspoverty alleviation and regional cooperation.In 2012, AFD Group approved €1.214 billion of fundingfor the Latin America and Caribbean region. In additionto its financing, AFD puts its experience to workin technical cooperation programmes, and promotedpublic and private French expertise that may proverelevant to regional problem-solving. Furthermore, AFDactively participates in debates about the economic andsocial development challenges that the region faces,thus strengthening relations between France and LatinAmerican countries.Bolstered by its practical field experience, AFD has setnew goals for its Latin American aid activities for 2012-2014. The Agency intends to reconcile its interlocutors’expectations with its mandate for green and inclusivegrowth and with other donor interventions. AFD’s workin the region focuses on two major challenges: findingsustainable and inclusive solutions to problems posedby rapid urbanization, and helping develop public policiesthat protect the environment and fight climatechange.IMPROVING LIFE IN THE CITYLatin America has the world’s highest urbanization rate.This rapid and massive phenomenon creates a genuinelag in infrastructure and services which, in turn, contributesto social exclusion and economic inefficiency.That is why AFD strengthened its collaboration withLatin American national and local authorities in 2012,as they worked on formulating inclusive urban policies.In Colombia, AFD loaned €150 million to Findeter,Colombia’s municipal finance bank, to bolster the bank’sbalance sheet and to fund green and inclusive urbanpolicies.Brazil – Protecting urban biodiversityPROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENTIn 2012, AFD continued its support for policy developmentthat combines environmental protections withnatural resource valorization. After providing supportfor the Special Anti-Climate-Change Programme, AFDrenewed its commitment to work with Mexico on preservingbiodiversity, approving a loan to the federal governmentfor €60 million in 2011. This loan supports Mexico’ssustainable biodiversity management policy withnew land-use planning instruments, inspired by France’sregional natural park experience.STRENGTHENING HUMAN CAPITALAccess to and quality in education and healthcareservices constitute major challenges and central governmentpolicy concerns for Caribbean countries. AFDsupportedprojects in Haiti and the Dominican Republicwill improve access to healthcare, higher education andprofessional training among the most disadvantaged,increasing their future opportunities.30