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WASHINGTON – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has recognized three young economists from Latin America and the Caribbean with the 2026 IDB Young Economist Award for the excellence of their in doctoral research work. Paula Donaldson, an Argentine economist with a PhD from the University of California, San Diego, won first prize for her paper which argues that traditional estimates of the impact of certain public policies may be overstated because they do not always separate the direct effects of a policy from the reactions it generates throughout the rest of the economy. It also

WASHINGTON — Digital trade – international trade that is ordered or delivered online – quintupled in two decades in Latin America and the Caribbean to nearly $90 billion and it is rapidly becoming a powerful engine of growth across the region, creating new opportunities for businesses, workers, and entrepreneurs while helping countries compete in an increasingly digital global economy, according to a new report. The analysis released today by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the World Bank Group, Digital Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean

WASHINGTON — The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $95 million investment loan to improve environmental conditions in the Panama Metropolitan Area and the Districts of Arraiján and La Chorrera, while supporting the implementation of Panama’s Sustainable Financing Framework. The program will directly benefit approximately 310,000 people through expanded access to sanitation services. The operation will support a series of initiatives in Panama Bay and the Metropolitan Area, including: Rehabilitation of the Amador sanitary sewerage system

WASHINGTON — The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $149.25 million Results-Based Loan (RBL) and a $750,000 nonreimbursable investment grant to enhance Bogotá’s resilience and fiscal sustainability in Colombia. The program will strengthen integrated solid waste management, improve public spaces, and increase locally generated revenue through cadastral modernization. The operation will finance urban revitalization interventions in public spaces, the implementation of systems and services for the collection, treatment, and recovery of solid waste

WASHINGTON — The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $500 million Special Development Loan (SDL) for Ecuador to help the country advance reforms and measures that promote macroeconomic stability. The operation, part of an IMF-led package of international support, will allow the country to proceed with structural reforms to improve its fiscal sustainability while protecting financing for social programs that benefit poor and vulnerable segments of the population. Additionally, the loan will allow the country to bolster its dollar currency

BOGOTÁ — The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its IDB Cities Network, is bringing together more than 50 mayors and national and local authorities from Latin America and the Caribbean in Bogotá and Barranquilla, Colombia, for the 2026 Mayors Forum, one of the region’s leading platforms for discussing the future of cities and urban transformation initiatives to improve citizens’ quality of life. The event, held on September 2-4, seeks to foster cooperation and peer learning among cities to help strengthen management capacity, attract investment, and implement solutions that deliver

We, the Multilateral Development Banks (MDB), recognize that food security remains one of the world's most pressing development challenges. Repeated shocks have exposed structural vulnerabilities in global fertilizer supply chains, disproportionately affecting smallholder farmers and low-income households. Increased investment in global fertilizer supply chains can support economic corridors that reduce vulnerability to future shocks. In addition to ensuring fertilizer availability, strengthening long-term food security requires improving fertilizer-use efficiency, diversifying nutrient

WASHINGTON — The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) has announced six finalists for Superheroes of Development 2026, an award that highlights lessons learned from IDB Group-financed initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean. The selected projects stand out for transforming complex challenges into opportunities to generate impact, draw lessons, and develop replicable solutions in the region. The finalist projects span a wide range of sectors and approaches: from digital connectivity and education to transportation infrastructure, energy transition, and resilience. Each

SEOUL – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Jeju Province of the Republic of Korea signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a framework for cooperation to advance sustainable tourism development and strengthen energy governance in Latin America and the Caribbean. Under the agreement, the parties will explore the implementation of digital transformation tools for smart tourism, including the use of artificial intelligence, data analytics, and other measures to improve tourism management and governance. The collaboration will also cover activities to promote cost

WASHINGTON — The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) issued a $2.5 billion 3.5-year global bond, marking its third U.S. dollar benchmark transaction of its 2026 funding program. The bond generated strong and well-diversified investor demand, with orders exceeding $6.4 billion (including $650 million joint lead managers interest). The bond matures on March 20, 2030, and carries a fixed semi-annual coupon of 4.250%. "We are delighted with the strong investor demand for the 3.5-year global benchmark, as we have not issued in the short end of the curve in nearly three years. It is our final U.S