Brazil-Southern Cone Regional Office

The Brazil-Southern Cone regional office is based in Brasilia and covers two countries in the region: Brazil and Argentina.

Together, Brazil and Argentina have a population of 260 million and a GDP of $2.3 trillion - or half of the total population and GDP of Latin America. In the Brazil-Southern Cone region, AFD Group’s action aims to support the ecological transition and promote social justice in the development trajectories of the countries involved. To enhance the positive impacts of the fight against climate change and in view of the region’s development issues, the activities of the Brazil-Southern Cone Regional Division focus on two priority areas: the territorial and ecological transition and the energy transition.

The success of the territorial and ecological transition is at the heart of AFD Group’s strategy in the region. Our objectives:

Promote urban mobility

AFD and Proparco work closely together on urban mobility projects, involving both public and private funds. In this context, the Group plans to develop ‘AFD Group’ financing offers, and will support French interests. AFD is also working to mobilize the Green Climate Fund, particularly for the regional Electric Mobility Development project.

Improve access to drinking water and sanitation services

The population has a low rate of access to collective sanitation: just 39% in Brazil and 26% in Argentina. Integrated management, water conservation and access to drinking water and sanitation services are therefore a priority for AFD in the Brazil-Southern Cone region. The Group’s action primarily targets less economically developed regions, in particular northeastern Brazil.

Sustainable land and ecosystem management

AFD Group focuses its efforts on land use, particularly in Brazil, where agriculture and agribusiness continue to represent key sectors of the economy (about 25% of GNP and 40% of exports). In this respect, the development of more sustainable agriculture is of paramount importance. There are various public and private initiatives in place, but they often lack technical, financial, and political support. AFD has started working in the brazilian Amazon, where its activity aims to meet ‘classic’ but essential development needs for the regional ecosystem and to encourage sustainable patterns of production and preservation of forest ecosystems.

Support access to decent housing

The social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic are likely to exacerbate existing inequalities and may push part of the middle class back into poverty. AFD will support projects relating to access to housing, as long as they also provide co-benefits for the climate.
At the same time, AFD Group is engaged in activities that aim to address the challenges of the economic and financial transition and the political and civic transition in the Brazil-Southern Cone region. We are also committed to strengthening social cohesion, notably by fighting against territorial and social inequality and by paying particular attention to gender inequality.