Amazon countries – Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Suriname – have launched the Amazonia Forever Facility for Cities and Resilient Infrastructure, a regional alliance designed to mobilize over $1 billion to accelerate investments in water security, clean energy, and resilient urban infrastructure. The initiative takes a multisectoral and territorial approach, addressing both urban development and environmental challenges in the Amazon region.
The facility was formalized through a joint declaration signed by member states and is led by the Amazonia Network of Ministers of Finance and Planning. It is supported by the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) under its Amazonia Forever program, and also receives backing from multilateral climate funds, bilateral donors, and local leaders. The program will leverage innovative financial mechanisms, including blended financing, performance-based concessionality schemes, credit-substitution guarantees, and exchange-rate risk mitigation, alongside technical assistance for urban and peri-urban infrastructure projects.
Brazil’s Planning and Budget Minister Simone Tebet, chair of the Amazonia Network, highlighted the dual focus of the facility, noting that addressing urban challenges complements efforts to protect forests and water resources. IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn emphasized that resilient infrastructure and sustainable urban development will help preserve forests while safeguarding the livelihoods of the approximately 60 million people living in the Amazon region.
Over 70% of the Amazon’s population resides in cities and peri-urban areas, where gaps remain in water, sanitation, solid-waste management, energy, mobility, and risk management for extreme events. Addressing these deficiencies is crucial for improving quality of life and supporting environmental protection, according to an IDB study involving more than 60 experts.
The Amazonia Forever Facility is backed by substantial international support to promote climate-resilient infrastructure, clean energy, connectivity, and sustainable urbanization. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are working to provide a guarantee that would increase the IDB’s lending capacity for clean-energy projects by $800 million. The IDB’s Water Security and Climate Resilience Program in Amazonia, in partnership with the Green Climate Fund, will deploy $162 million in concessional financing, technical assistance, and pre-investment resources for resilient infrastructure projects, including water, sanitation, drainage, and waste management systems, as well as improvements in early-warning systems and cross-border cooperation.
Additionally, the Clean Energy Access Accelerator, supported by the Climate Investment Funds, will provide $215 million in concessional resources and grants to expand access to clean energy, clean cooking solutions, and emerging technologies. The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation contributed 6 million euros to the IDB’s Spanish Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation, focusing specifically on the Amazon region. These combined efforts aim to strengthen resilience, improve urban services, and foster sustainable development across the Amazon basin.
