Durrant Pate/Contributor

A new impact report is confirming that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is delivering strong development outcomes across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

The IDB Group’s new Impact Framework Report highlights how the multilateral funding institution is delivering measurable benefits to millions across the region through a range of operational areas, including social protection, private sector innovation, and sustainable infrastructure. Guided by IDBImpact+, which is a new group-wide strategy aiming to increase the impact and scale of the results the IDB achieve for the countries and people it serves.

“We are doubling down on what delivers real results—focusing on what works, tracking progress, and measuring how we are making a difference in the lives of people in Latin America and the Caribbean,” explains IDB Group president, Ilan Goldfajn, who declares, “the Impact Report is more than an annual report on results; it’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to transparency, learning, and continuous improvement.”

In 2024 alone, IDB Group initiatives helped millions throughout the region, including low-income communities:

• 2.6 million people with new access to broadband services​.
• 1.2 million people benefiting from quality early childhood development, schooling and educational programs, and other skills development services​.
• 3.3 million micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) benefiting from financial and/or non-financial support.
• 940,000 people with new or improved access to safely managed drinking water and/or sanitation​.
• 550,000 people with new or improved access to energy​.

The impact report also shows an improved achievement rate of development results upon project completion for IDB, while IDB Invest surpassed its target for this indicator.

The report also highlights the following contributions in public-private synergies and mobilisation of private capital, a key priority of the IDB Group’s approach to increasing its impact and scale in the region: 

• In 2024, the IDB Group played a pivotal role in mobilising development financing, helping to attract an additional US$9.6 billion in direct third-party financing and US$4.3 billion in indirect financing. 

• More than 20 per cent of IDB projects approved last year focused on enabling private capital, including enhancing the business environment and removing barriers to private sector participation in infrastructure and other critical sectors.

•  81 per cent of stakeholders view the IDB Group as effective in fostering public-private synergies.

These advances are especially critical as many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean grapple with limited fiscal space, constraining their ability to invest in essential areas such as infrastructure, anti-poverty programs and resilience.

In addition, the report also includes a detailed analysis of the group’s contributions to infrastructure development, particularly in water, sanitation, transportation, and energy, offering lessons and innovative approaches that can drive economic growth and inform scalable solutions across the region and beyond.

Founded in 1959, the IDB works with the region’s public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries.