CAF participated actively at 78th United Nations General Assembly

The various activities developed during the General Assembly included a joint declaration signed by CAF and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to implement the Climate Adaptation and Comprehensive Natural Disaster Response Fund (FACRID), aimed at ensuring funds and developing projects for disaster prevention, reduction, response, mitigation, and recovery in the region.

The document reaffirms CAF's support to FACRID, and includes the organization's potential involvement as a guest in the Fund's Steering Committee. The activities listed in the declaration include technical and financial cooperation actions, as well as the joint project identification and implementation in areas of mutual interest for the prevention, mitigation, readiness, and response to disasters and/or climate change adaptation. The parties also pledge to design innovative financial instruments to facilitate and encourage voluntary contributions to the Fund.

Similarly, CAF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, to coordinate, design, and implement joint actions that foster the recognition, justice, and development of the Afro-descendant community throughout the region through inclusive and participatory processes. Both organizations agreed on coordinated collaboration to advance development with identity, considering technical and financial assistance, and implementation of projects in specific areas of mutual interest.

CAF also signed a similar document with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), to deploy joint actions aimed at fortifying health systems in the region, and thus promote progress in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Christian Asinelli

"At CAF, we work to advance the sustainable development of our shareholder countries and regional integration. In this connection, through joint action with PAHO, we seek to strengthen health systems, foster nutritional food security, and provide comprehensive early childhood care throughout Latin America and the Caribbean," said Asinelli.

Furthermore, the CAF delegation participated in the meeting "Education for Sustainable Development: Bridging the Digital Gap in Ibero-America." This activity is organized by the International Youth Organization for Ibero-America (OIJ) and Global University Systems (GUS). This event focused on how to accelerate partnerships for high-quality education, reduce inequalities, and promote decent work and economic growth.

With the aim of fulfilling the 2030 Agenda, CAF was present at the roundtable "Towards a Fair International Financial Architecture." The initiative is promoted by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The event brought together top political leaders with the purpose of supporting the UN Secretary-General and discussing reforms to the international financial system to effectively contribute to sustainable and equitable development, and the fulfillment of the SDGs.

In addition, CA's Private Sector Vice President Jorge Arbache and his team participated at the UN headquarters in the launch of the working group on financing the green and just energy transition. The agenda and working group were organized by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), as part of the "SDG SUMMIT" in New York. In the event, Arbache highlighted that several countries in the region already have a clean energy matrix, and that this can attract a great deal of foreign investment in industrial facilities that need to decarbonize their operations, while having a socioeconomic impact on the ground, favoring the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Furthermore, Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity Manager Alicia Montalvo participated in the panel: "Integration and expansion of nature-based solutions in critical sites along bird migration routes in the Americas." "We are officially launching the Americas Migration Route Initiative in partnership with Audubon Americas and Bird Life News during New York Climate Week. We believe that the most important aspect of this initiative is the role to be played by science and technology. The key elements of our action are science, technology, and finance," underscored Montalvo.

Additionally, the CAF delegation participated in multiple meetings and forums with Latin American leaders, including the presidents of Argentina, Alberto Fernández; Paraguay, Santiago Peña; Peru, Dina Boularte; the Prime Minister of Belize, Juan Antonio Briceño; Chile, Gabriel Boric; Guyana, Ifaan Ali; and Suriname, Chan Santokhi. CAF was also present at various seminars and bilateral meetings, including notably a panel entitled Highlighting the Role of Private Sector in Preserving Democracy, at the Concordia Annual Summit 2023, parallel to the General Assembly, and the first CAF-UNDP Annual Conference on Governance in Latin America and the Caribbean, which featured former president of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla, among other leaders.

The CAF delegation included Private Sector Vice President Jorge Arbache, North Regional Manager Santiago Rojas, Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity Manager Alicia Montalvo; Planning and Development Impact Manager Alejandra Botero, Development Contributions and Impact Measurement Director Daniel Ortega; and External Relations Officer Patricio Scaff, joined by their teams of executives and advisors.