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Civil Society Organizations and Communities Call for Respect for Rights at the IDB Annual Meeting in Asunción

Civil society organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean will participate this week in the Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, which will take place in Asunción from March 11 to 14. The aim is to raise concerns about the direction of the Bank’s investments and to demand that its operations respect human rights, protect nature, and ensure that communities can decide whether projects are developed in their territories and participate effectively in decision-making from beginning to end.

Organizations that are part of the IDB Working Group will use the Assembly as an opportunity to hold meetings with Bank authorities, governments, and other stakeholders. Among the issues we seek to place on the agenda are the growing restrictions on civic space in the region, the risks associated with the commodification of nature, the role of the IDB in the Amazon, the development of regional infrastructure corridors, and the challenges of advancing a truly just energy transition.

Participation Agenda

During the week of the Assembly, we will participate in various dialogue and coordination activities.

On March 9, a workshop will be held with Paraguayan organizations, in collaboration with local groups such as Henoi, Sunu, Axial, and Climate Reality, to analyze the impacts of IDB-financed projects in the country and strengthen regional civil society coordination.

On March 10, a full-day working session with the Bank will take place to discuss its Civil Society Engagement Strategy and Action Plan.

On March 11, Suhayla Bazbaz, Director of Community Cohesion and Social Innovation (Mexico) and a member of the IDB Working Group, will participate in the IDB–Civil Society/Stakeholders Forum in the panel “The Importance of Multilateral Engagement with Civil Society Organizations: Challenges and Perspectives,” focused on the challenges of ensuring informed and meaningful participation of civil society in the Bank’s decision-making processes.

That same day, a meeting is scheduled with the Bank’s President, Ilan Goldfajn. These exchanges are part of an ongoing dialogue process that the working group has maintained with the IDB presidency in recent years. Dialogue sessions between the IDB and social organizations will also be held on the following topics: regional logistics corridors, the Amazonia Forever program, the new procurement policy, and restrictions on civic space.

Concerns Regarding the South Connection Program

Within the framework of the Assembly, we will present observations on the South Connection Regional Program for South American Connectivity (Conexión Sur in Spanish), an IDB initiative aimed at promoting regional corridors for transport, logistics, energy, and digital connectivity in South America.

While we recognize the importance of improving regional connectivity, the program’s current design poses social, environmental, and governance risks if substantial changes are not introduced.

The program prioritizes global competitiveness and integration into international value chains, with a strong emphasis on logistics corridors, ports, and energy transmission, while paying limited attention to territorial impacts, local economies, and the needs of the communities living in the areas where this infrastructure will be developed.

Without complementary local productive development strategies, the new corridors could reinforce economic patterns based on the export of raw materials and extractive activities, without generating substantial improvements in the quality of life of local populations.

In initiatives such as support for logistics corridors in the Amazon and large-scale energy transition projects, the IDB risks repeating past mistakes and promoting false solutions that may generate severe socio-environmental consequences, largely due to the lack of effective dialogue spaces with civil society organizations that place the needs and rights of local communities at the center of discussions.

Brent Millikan, GT Infraestrutura (Brazil)

IDB Project in Paraguay

The Bioceanic Road Corridor, financed by the IDB through a USD 200 million loan to the government of Paraguay, aims to connect the port of Santos in Brazil with ports in northern Chile, with the goal of facilitating international trade and improving access to markets in the country’s western region.

However, local organizations and communities have expressed concern about the lack of adequate consultation with Indigenous peoples such as the Ayoreo, as well as the project’s potential impacts. These could include displacement, loss of livelihoods, risks of gender-based violence, pressure on Indigenous territories, and damage to biodiversity in one of the most fragile areas of the Paraguayan Chaco.

Participation and Transparency

The working group has also expressed concern about the limited participation of civil society, Indigenous peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendant populations in the design of several of the Bank’s strategic initiatives, including Conexión Sur, the Amazonia Forever program, and the Biodiversity and Natural Capital Action Plan.

These processes have offered few opportunities for meaningful dialogue with the actors living in the territories where these initiatives will be implemented. In the case of the Biodiversity Plan, for example, organizations warn that despite references to inclusive approaches in the document, there were no substantive opportunities for exchange with these groups during its development.

Strengthening early participation, transparency, and accountability is key to improving the quality of the Bank’s policies and preventing socio-environmental conflicts.

In this context, part of the agenda will be dedicated to a dialogue with Bank teams to present an assessment of current trends in restrictions on civic space. We hope to share recommendations from civil society and learn about the concrete steps the Bank is taking to address these situations.

A Just Energy Transition

Finally, we will present our concerns regarding how the IDB is addressing the energy transition in the region. While we recognize the urgency of moving toward low-carbon energy systems, the Bank’s current approach continues to reproduce “business-as-usual” dynamics.

Among the main criticisms is the continued support for fossil fuel infrastructure, including the promotion of gas as a transition technology, as well as the expansion of mining and green hydrogen in the region without adequate processes for information sharing, consultation, and impact assessment. In response, we call on the IDB to prioritize social and environmental justice, strengthen the implementation of safeguards, guarantee the effective participation of affected communities, and develop an energy plan aligned with the Paris Agreement and human rights.

“Through instruments such as the IDB Initiative on Minerals in Latin America and the Caribbean—through which the Bank presents itself as a key multilateral partner for the extraction of critical minerals—the IDB seeks to position itself as a reference in financing the energy transition. However, this strategy places Latin America and the Caribbean at risk of becoming a sacrifice zone for ‘critical minerals’ for the global transition, with limited participation of communities and Indigenous peoples in decision-making and in defining policies and projects. We urge the IDB to prioritize social and environmental justice, ensuring the effective participation of affected communities and promoting a truly just transition.”

Gonzalo Roza, Fundeps (Argentina)

In a regional context marked by the climate crisis, socio-environmental conflicts, and shrinking civic space, transparency, public participation, and accountability are essential conditions to ensure that investments in infrastructure and energy truly contribute to sustainable development and the well-being of communities.

Contact
Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: Key Insights from the First Financing in Argentina

In September 2023, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) approved its first financing operation for Argentina, amounting to USD 65 million, aimed at the construction of a wind farm near Río Grande, in the province of Tierra del Fuego. This was the institution’s first project in the country since Argentina’s official accession to the AIIB in 2020.

However, despite its approval, the project was recently cancelled. The reasons for this decision include the lack of sovereign guarantees and a shift in the national political landscape following the inauguration of President Javier Milei in December 2023.

The analysis conducted by FARN, Fundeps, and Fundación CAUCE examines the project, its socio-environmental implications, and the challenges it poses in relation to international financing for the energy transition. In addition, the document offers a review of the AIIB’s role in the region and the institutional framework governing its involvement in infrastructure projects.

The case of the wind farm in Tierra del Fuego illustrates how the interplay between geopolitics and changes in national priorities can influence the implementation of strategic projects. It also underscores the importance of transparency, access to public information, and effective mechanisms for citizen participation, particularly when projects may generate impacts on protected natural areas, such as the Atlantic Coast Reserve, a Ramsar site of international importance for migratory birds.

This study builds on the ongoing monitoring work carried out by these organizations on international financial institutions operating in Latin America.

Update

After the document went to press, the AIIB officially cancelled the project due to the Argentine National State’s failure to provide the required sovereign guarantee.

Although this decision alters the project’s administrative status, it does not diminish the relevance of the analysis, which remains key to understanding how such financing mechanisms are structured, what standards apply, and the opportunities and tensions facing Argentina’s energy transition.

The official project information sheet is available at:
https://www.aiib.org/en/projects/details/2025/_download/Argentina/P000654-Argentina-Tierra-del-Fuego-Energy-Transition-Support-Project-PSI-Oct.-7-2025.pdf

A necessary debate on the energy transition

The AIIB’s experience in Argentina raises important questions about how to advance toward a just energy transition, supported by robust socio-environmental safeguards, effective citizen participation, and coherence between local needs and international commitments, as well as the role of multilateral development banks.

From our organizations, we continue to promote the production of public information, citizen oversight, and the defense of environmental rights as fundamental pillars of a transition that respects territories and communities.

Contact:
Gonzalon Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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COP30: For a community-led energy transition

Within the framework of COP30 held in Belém do Pará (Brazil), members and allies of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development advanced a series of collective demands to Public Development Banks (PDBs) to support a community-led energy transition that respects rights and meets the needs of communities in the Global South.*

Within the framework of COP30 held in Belém do Pará (Brazil), members and allies of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development advanced a series of collective demands to Public Development Banks (PDBs) to support a community-led energy transition that respects rights and meets the needs of communities in the Global South.

Public development banks, through their climate commitments and financial support, are positioning themselves as key actors in the energy transition, especially in the Global South. Between January 2022 and June 2025, public development banks invested a total of 245.5 billion U.S. dollars in energy projects worldwide, mainly in the form of loans and through the private sector.

The largest share of investments went to the solar energy sector (30%), followed by transmission lines (24%) and wind energy (22%). However, research shows that PDBs continue to invest money in fossil fuels, often through financial intermediaries. In addition, PDBs have largely supported false solutions in the form of large-scale renewable energy projects, technological solutions, extractive activities, and market-based approaches.

In this context, in recent years, the Coalition for Human Rights in Development, of which Fundeps is a member, has involved its membership and allies in discussions on a just energy transition and the role of PDBs, with the aim of exposing false solutions and contradictions, while developing demands on what a truly just transition should look like—one centered on the voices and demands of affected communities.

Demands to Public Development Banks

As part of this process, a position paper was developed that contains a series of demands for PDBs to support a community-led energy transition that respects rights and meets the needs of communities in the Global South. The main demands identified were the following:

1. Recognize communities as central actors and protagonists of the energy transition
The rights of communities most affected by climate change—who are already struggling to secure water, food, housing, livelihoods, and cultural survival—must be at the heart of the transition. PDBs must shift their paradigm: moving from viewing communities as passive “beneficiaries,” obstacles, or victims of development, to recognizing them as stakeholders and protagonists of the energy transition. Incorporating this recognition into policies and practices means treating local communities and Indigenous Peoples not as victims to be compensated or hastily displaced, but as co-creators and co-monitors of just energy solutions that put people and the planet first.

2. Prioritize financing for decentralized, small-scale, community-led energy solutions
Across the Global South, local communities are advancing grassroots solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change and generate energy through small-scale projects. These projects, designed through participatory, inclusive, and feminist approaches, can effectively meet the needs of local communities and prevent harm.

3. Accountability in design, monitoring, and protection of rights, based on community needs and priorities
An energy transition can only be just if it considers and remedies its potential negative impacts, particularly on rural, local, and Indigenous communities. To achieve this, it is essential to enable community participation in the project design and assessment phases, apply robust safeguards, and ensure remedy and justice when rights are violated.

The position paper also highlights key elements of a community-driven just energy transition in the Global South: centered on human rights and community self-determination; on the protection of land, livelihoods, and food security; and driven by people and gender justice.

A call to action

These collective demands offer a roadmap toward an energy transition that leaves no one behind and is grounded in local realities, a feminist and intersectional perspective, global solidarity, and justice.
Technological change alone is not enough to make the energy transition just: a truly just transition requires centering communities in development financing decisions. We need a transformative paradigm shift that puts people and the planet first in both policy and practice.

To break away from the exploitative patterns of the fossil-fuel-based development model, all actors involved in shaping and financing the transition (states, international and multilateral organizations, public development banks, private actors, etc.) must prioritize bottom-up, community-led solutions that uphold human rights, protect ecosystems, and ensure equitable access to energy.

The full version of the Position Paper can be accessed through the following link.

Note prepared based on the publication of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development, available at: https://rightsindevelopment.org/es/news/documento-posicion-jet/

More information

Contact
Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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Latin American organizations urge the Asian Bank to fulfill its commitment to sustainable development.

As the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) holds its annual meeting in Beijing this week, Fundeps, along with partner organizations from Latin America and other regions, supports the call for this institution to fulfill its promise to promote inclusive, environmentally sustainable development with effective civil society participation.

In an open letter (available here) to AIIB President Jin Liqun, a group of Latin American organizations presented a series of observations and proposals on how the Bank can better support initiatives to address the climate, environmental, and economic challenges affecting the region by developing a more strategic approach, supporting innovative strategies in the transport sector, and promoting a just energy transition, based on greater transparency and strengthening civil society participation.

The open letter, which is also supported by partner organizations in Europe and other regions, highlights the need for a new paradigm that guides infrastructure investments to effectively promote transparent, sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient infrastructure, moving beyond the conventional approach focused on top-down, planned, and imposed megaprojects. According to the Latin American civil society organizations, “new infrastructure should not negatively affect ecosystems or the habitats of local populations, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized groups… On the contrary, infrastructure investments should prioritize the quality of life of local communities and guarantee the integrity of ecosystems.”

“We have no doubt that incorporating the perspective of civil society in a structured manner can help the Bank identify integrated solutions better aligned with its climate commitments, anticipate social and environmental risks at an early stage, and improve the results of its interventions in the region,” said Daniel Lopes Faggiano, Executive Director of the Maíra Institute and co-author of the public statement. In the open letter, we conclude by noting that establishing spaces that promote the participation of civil society organizations could become a transcendental legacy of the outgoing AIIB President, Jin Liqun, whose term expires in January 2026.

About the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

The AIIB was established in 2016 under the leadership of China, with the aim of promoting infrastructure projects in Asia and other regions of the world. The Bank began operations with 57 founding members, an initial capital of US$100 billion, and its headquarters in Beijing. It currently has 110 members, of which 100 are “full members”—both regional members from Asia and Oceania and other regions—and 10 potential members. Full members from Latin America include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru, and Uruguay.

 

More information

 

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

 

Communities and civil society advocate to influence the BID meeting in Chile

At the BID’s 2025 Annual Meetings in Chile, organizations and communities affected by projects financed by the institution are demanding greater transparency, participation, and respect for human rights and the environment, in response to the impacts of megaprojects in the region.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

Chile is hosting the sixty-fifth Annual Meeting of the Boards of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and IDB Invest. The event began on March 20 in Punta Arenas, Magallanes, as part of the Investment Forum and the meeting of authorities, and continues in Santiago until March 30. It brings together the Ministers of Economy, Treasury, and Finance of the Bank’s 48 member countries, who define the main financing policies and strategies for the region.

In this context, communities affected by IDB-financed projects and civil society organizations are organizing to present our demands and highlight the resistance to the development model promoted by the institution.

The main demands include:

  • Full and understandable access to information about projects and their impacts
  • Effective participation of affected communities in decision-making
  • Protection of human rights and nature defenders to avoid retaliation
  • Financing aligned with climate justice and human rights
  • Guaranteeing the prevention, mitigation, and reparation of harm caused by their investments, through policies or frameworks for remediation and responsible exit

For years, resistance networks have denounced the harmful effects of projects financed by the BID and other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). Wind farms, lithium and copper mines, and mega-infrastructure projects have transformed ecosystems and ways of life without consultation or consent from affected communities. In Punta Arenas, the site of pre-Annual Meetings activities, opposition is growing to green hydrogen mega-projects, promoted without real public debate or consideration of Indigenous and local rights.

The BID Working Group, a network of civil society organizations of which we are a part, has been key in opening up advocacy spaces within the Annual Meetings. Thanks to their pressure, the Bank committed to reintroducing civil society participation in 2023, having eliminated it in 2013. The 2025 edition in Chile is a crucial opportunity to strengthen coordination among affected communities and reinforce advocacy strategies to challenge the BID’s role in the region.

The Voice of Communities and Organizations

  • On a Just Energy Transition and the Protection of Indigenous Peoples and the Environment:

“They need to study the places where they promote projects and who lives there. They should take the time to understand local customs and ways of life. It is not right for them to arrive in a place and disrupt communities that are used to living in peace, caring for and protecting nature and biodiversity.” — Spokesperson for the Chango People, Antofagasta (requested anonymity)

  • On the IDB’s Access to Information Policy:

“The BID must ensure effective and timely access to information about the projects it finances so that affected communities and populations can fully understand the status of a given project and participate in decision-making in an informed manner.” — Gonzalo Roza, Coordinator of the Global Governance Area, FUNDEPS (Argentina)

  • On the Protection of Civic Space:

“Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have a responsibility to respect human rights in their operations and to use their influence to ensure that their clients—governments and companies—create and maintain an enabling and safe environment for the exercise and defense of those rights. The BID Group must guarantee the effective implementation of its policies and improve its practices to fulfill this responsibility, ensuring they are systematically enforced.” — Suhayla Bazbaz, Director, Community Cohesion and Social Innovation–CCIS (Mexico)

  • On Remedy and Responsible Exit:

“Repairing the harm caused by the projects it finances must be a priority for the BID Group. It is time for the Bank to be at the forefront of best practices and policies, following the example of other development banks. The International Finance Corporation (the private sector arm of the World Bank) has already published its Responsible Exit Principles and is about to approve the Remedy Framework—two instruments aimed at preventing, mitigating, and repairing the harm caused by its investments. Like any financial institution, the IDB has the responsibility to remedy the harm inflicted on communities and the planet.” — Luisa Gómez, Senior Attorney, Center for International Environmental Law–CIEL (United States)

 

Agenda for Resistance and Advocacy in Chile

Civil society organizations and affected communities have outlined an action plan that includes:

  • Workshops and meetings in Santiago and Punta Arenas with local organizations, affected communities, and strategic allies to analyze the IDB’s impact on the energy transition and development financing.

  • A public discussion on the role of development banks in a just energy transition, as well as Chile’s case in the green hydrogen and mining industries.

  • Advocacy activities during the Annual Meetings aimed at creating spaces for dialogue with BID representatives and other key stakeholders.

  • Engagement with local and international networks to strengthen resistance strategies and globally highlight the impacts of projects promoted by the Bank.

The fight of communities against extractivist projects promoted by the BID is not new, but in a context where financing for strategic sectors such as energy and mining is expanding, amplifying our voices and demanding a just energy transition is more urgent than ever—one that prioritizes community rights and territorial protection.

Contact
Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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We participated in the 13th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights

On November 25, 26 and 27, we participated in the 13th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights, which took place at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

The United Nations Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights is the platform for multilateral dialogue that assesses the progress of States and companies in implementing the three fundamental pillars of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (GHR): Protect, Respect and Remedy. In this way, every year it brings together key actors from governments, international organizations, civil society and companies, creating a broad space for dialogue.

The 13th edition of the forum, entitled “Making the ‘Smart Mix’ for Human Rights in Business Effective”, presented the perspectives of different stakeholders on how to implement a “smart mix” of national, international, voluntary and mandatory measures to strengthen the protection and respect for human rights in business activities. It analysed what has worked so far and what has not, highlighting what is still needed to make the changes proposed by this approach effective, especially for rights holders. The forum also sought to highlight positive practices that have enabled progress in the protection of human rights in the actions of States, companies and other actors.

Among the key themes reflecting important challenges, the Just Energy Transition was highlighted, where the need for companies to implement sustainable practices in a concrete manner and backed by verifiable commitments was discussed. In addition, the importance of recognizing indigenous communities as fundamental actors in the protection of their lands and resources was highlighted, although significant challenges persist in ensuring that their rights are effectively respected in the face of business activity. In this context, the role of development financial institutions was also addressed, emphasizing their responsibility to ensure that the projects they finance comply with human rights standards. Finally, Strategic Climate Litigation was mentioned, which has gained relevance as a tool to hold companies accountable for their negative impacts on climate change and human rights.

One of the key messages that civil society wanted to highlight during the forum was that the protection of human rights should not be seen only as a legal obligation, but as a collective responsibility. Governments, international organisations, civil society and businesses must work together to overcome challenges and achieve meaningful change.

 

More Information

 

Author

Julieta Boretti

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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Necessary debates: Fundeps held a discussion on the Energy Transition in Argentina

The event organized by Fundeps (Foundation for the Development of Sustainable Policies), CAUCE Foundation (Environmental Culture – Ecological Cause), FARN (Environment and Natural Resources Foundation) and Siglo 21 University, held on November 11, was a meeting of analysis and debate on the main challenges facing Argentina in the context of the global energy transition.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

The event, which was held in a discussion format, was organized into thematic panels, one of which was: “The role of China, multilateral banking and transnational corporations in the Argentine energy transition” with the participation of Dr. Virginia Busilli and Lic. Maitén Fuma (UCC), Valeria Enderle (CAUCE Foundation), Francisco Zanichelli (UNC) and Carolina Juaneda (Bank Information Center), moderated by Matías Cena Trebucq (FARN). The second panel, “The challenges of lithium exploitation in Argentina in a context of investment incentives and environmental deregulation”, was hosted by Edgardo Litvinoff (Red RUIDO), María Laura Carrizo Morales (Fundeps), Leandro Gómez (FARN), Federico Trebucq (UES21, CONICET), moderated by Paula Hernández (Fundeps).

On this occasion, Fundeps also presented the report “The exploitation of lithium in the high Andean salt flats: a socio-environmental analysis based on the Argentine case”, which aims to comprehensively address the different conceptual, legislative and discursive perspectives and components that intervene in this context of global energy transition. It also addresses the consequent acceleration in the demand for lithium in our country and region for an informed discussion.

Not every energy transition is a fair energy transition

The race to control the supply chain of so-called critical minerals, or minerals for the energy transition, opens a new chapter in the global geopolitical dispute. Countries in North America, Europe, and Asia, particularly China, are competing not only to dominate the technologies of the final products, but also for access to the deposits of these minerals. At the same time, it is evident that the search for developing “green solutions” is the politically correct narrative today, but is there really progress towards a fair energy transition in social and environmental terms? What roles do the global south and the global north adopt in this new “green” dynamic? What place do communities have in this process? These were some of the questions addressed in the discussion.

Argentina is today the world’s fourth largest producer of lithium and has approximately 50 projects in different phases. With the focus on generating foreign currency required to repay the external debt, provincial and national governments prioritize these investments without carrying out the corresponding studies to determine whether the operations can be carried out without causing irreversible damage to the environment and the communities that have lived there for hundreds of years. The loss of biodiversity, ways of life, knowledge and Andean cultures not only turns these territories into sacrifice zones for the hyper-consumerist model of the Global North, which does not seek to reduce its demand for minerals and nature, but also reinforces existing inequalities and blocks the possibility of thinking about a paradigm shift that places the care of the lives of people and ecosystems at the center, and that teaches us to live within planetary limits.

Undoubtedly, the consequences of the increased demand for lithium extraction and production in this “green race” generate debates of a social, environmental, legal, discursive and ideological nature, as the different meanings and objectives of the different actors involved come into dispute. During the more than two hours that the discussion lasted, experts and representatives of civil society, academia and journalists from Córdoba and other provinces debated and exchanged their opinions on the impact of lithium mining on the environment, the economy and local communities, making it clear that not every energy transition is a fair energy transition and that the extractivist logic reproduces the historical roles of the countries of the Global North and South and also replicates extractivist practices and human rights violations of local and indigenous communities, while reinforcing the vicious cycle of continuing to exploit nature.

 

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Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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The IDB approves a New Access to Information Policy

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) took the final step of a process that lasted several years and culminated with the approval of a new Access to Information Policy (PAI) by the Board of Executive Directors.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

The new policy, approved on July 26, 2024, which updates the current IDB policy, will go into effect on September 1, 2025

At Fundeps, together with other regional organizations, we actively participate in the process of updating and adapting the IDB’s PAI, sending comments and suggestions to each of the previous versions, as well as participating in various public consultations to strengthen the right. access to information and transparency in the Bank.

As improvements introduced to the new Bank Policy, mention can be made of the possibility of making anonymous information requests, the reduction in the IDB’s response times to information requests and the work that the institution is doing to increase the usability of the information. and the use of more accessible formats. Even so, it is imperative to consider that access to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) is not universal or uniform.

Likewise, there are essential aspects that the PAI, or its next updates, must incorporate, such as:

  • The approach to access to information as a fundamental human right and, therefore, a pillar of the PAI itself.
  • The harmonization of the Access to Information Policy with the Escazú Agreement.
  • Eliminate ambiguities in the language of the standard, mainly in the “Exceptions” section, which must be more precise and establish clear criteria for its application.

Likewise, it is worrying that some criteria and parameters that will make the PAI effective are addressed in the Implementation Guidelines. In this way, the effectiveness and strength of the PAI will depend greatly on these Guidelines, which do not require mandatory compliance, as the PAI itself does.

Likewise, it should be mentioned that there were significant delays in the PAI review process. At the end of 2019, the IDB began this process that was suspended months later. Subsequently, in April 2022, it was resumed and the Bank presented a new policy proposal to the Board of Executive Directors, which was approved for public consultation with interested parties. It was only in January 2024 when the final version of the New Information Access Policy was approved, which did not take into account many of the comments and suggestions raised by civil society within the framework of the in-person and virtual consultations organized by the own bank.

As a next step, after the approval of the Access to Information Policy, the Implementation Guidelines for its application will be prepared, which, according to the IDB, will be circulated in a timely manner for comments from the public and civil society organizations. Given the great importance of these Guidelines, especially in this case, we hope that this will be the case and we reiterate the importance of the Bank placing people at the center and using the possibility of making effective and full the exercise of the right of access to information , also strengthening in this process the effective participation of civil society organizations, communities and people affected by their projects and populations in vulnerable situations.

 

More Information

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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China-driven financial initiatives: access to information and accountability

Much of what happens in Argentine foreign policy is linked to China, hand in hand with its growing global influence, which is why it is important to know initiatives such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative. , in which China is its main promoter. At Fundeps we share documents with basic and accessible information about these initiatives, placing emphasis on practical resources to access information and their accountability mechanisms.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) represents China’s flagship global connectivity and infrastructure development program that aims to boost trade and new political and economic ties with participating nations, primarily emerging and “developing” countries. ”. For its part, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank created in 2015 at the initiative of China that currently has more than 100 member countries around the world and finances projects in other regions, such as Latin America and the Caribbean or Africa.

The AIIB is closely linked to the Belt and Road Initiative not only because the processes of formation of these two instruments were promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and occurred simultaneously, but also because the AIIB constitutes the main tool financing for projects that are part of the IFR. Likewise, both are part of a process of geopolitical reconfiguration where the center of gravity of the world economy turns towards the Asia Pacific. Furthermore, both have been the subject of criticism since their inception in relation to the negative environmental and social impacts that their projects have generated and the lack of transparency, accountability and citizen participation in their design and implementation.

The role that the AIIB and the IFR play – and will play in the medium-short term – in Argentina is much closer and more tangible than we believe: although they seem like initiatives or actors that are distant and unrelated to the local reality, through Their actions promote or facilitate the implementation of large infrastructure and energy projects in the country that, in turn, have – or may have – a direct or indirect impact on people’s daily lives and may affect social and/or environmental rights. , especially from the populations and communities linked to the projects. In fact, there is already a first approved project in Tierra del Fuego that will be financed by the AIIB for an amount of 65 million dollars and, within the framework of the IFR, there are various projects committed in our country. For this reason, it is essential to monitor them, know how to access information about the projects and how to file a complaint with the Bank’s accountability mechanism.

In addition to this and given the frequent lack of transparency of Chinese banking and the general lack of knowledge about it, at Fundeps we share these updated brochures with summarized information about the AIIB and the Belt and Road Initiative. We also added instructions on how to make a complaint to the Project Affected Persons Mechanism (PPM), the AIIB’s accountability mechanism.

How does the situation influence?

During the current government of Javier Milei, diplomatic ties between both countries have been strained due to the reconfiguration of the new administration’s foreign policy, with greater geopolitical alignment with the United States and the West. We can also mention certain measures such as the decision of the Argentine government to visit the Chinese space base in Neuquén or renounce Argentina’s membership in the BRICS bloc, the brake on infrastructure works with Chinese financing or even statements by the President himself or of Foreign Minister Diana Mondino. This has been reflected, among other things, in the difficulties in the negotiations to renew the swap with China – currency exchange between the central banks of both countries – or in the weakening of the commercial link, which has moved China to fourth place. place as Argentina’s trading partner, currently positioning itself behind Brazil, the European Union (EU) and the United States.

However, it is worth highlighting that the link between Argentina and China continues to be very important, and will continue to be so in the future, regardless of the government in power.

A bilateral relationship of a strategic nature

The bilateral relationship between the People’s Republic of China and Argentina has been strengthening in recent decades and has acquired greater relevance since the 2000s, becoming established, almost 10 years ago, as a Comprehensive Strategic Association. It includes an expansion in the areas of cooperation and covers not only economic and financial aspects but also political, commercial, technological, cultural, health and investment matters. This strengthening of ties was reflected in the incorporation of Argentina to the two initiatives mentioned here.

The signing of a Joint Declaration in 2004 and the Comprehensive Strategic Association in 2014 have been, at the diplomatic level, two unavoidable antecedents to understand Argentina’s entry into the IFR and the AIIB. Given the continuity and long-term projection of the Sino-Argentine link, it can be said that Argentina’s entry into the IFR (in 2022) and the AIIB (from 2021, as a non-regional member), are consistent with the rapprochement and consolidation of bilateral relations since their normalization in 1972 and crystallize this long-standing bond between both countries, posing both opportunities and challenges for our country.

 

 

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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Various sectors of Córdoba met to talk about the rollback of rights

This Friday, May 24, the meeting “Córdoba has impact: Conversation for disputed rights” took place with the participation of more than 100 people at the Museum of Anthropologies. It was organized by Fundeps, with the participation of more than 30 spaces.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

For three hours, reflections were developed around:

  • how the reduction in public spending affects university education, the scientific-technological system, the popular sectors and the media;
  • the consequences of the pension and labor reform proposal, focusing on private home workers; and the unconstitutionality of DNU 70/23.
  • the regulatory regressions in relation to the exploitation of natural resources, how communities experience these deregulations and the environmental impact of the Large Investment Regime (RIGI).

The discussion brought together representatives from various fields, including academia, social organizations, communities, media and unions.

An event with diverse voices and perspectives that help us understand some of the challenges we face and how to build collective strategies against the regression of rights.

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Actions that transform: see our Annuary 2023

We are proud to share the 2023 Yearbook, a review of our work, achievements and lessons learned over the past year.

During 2023 we carried out a variety of actions. From advocacy meetings and court filings, to research, conferences and workshops, communications campaigns and more. Each action reflects our determination to transform society and defend human rights.

In addition, at the end of last year, we experienced a major change in our leadership. Carolina Tamagnini, who has led Fundeps for the past 4 years, stepped down as Executive Director to join the Board of Directors and in her place, Mayca Balaguer took over as the new Director.

This change marks not only a transition in leadership, but also a moment of institutional strengthening and renewal, consolidating a dynamic team capable of responding to emerging demands, growing both institutionally and in impact.

What began as an initiative in 2009, today has become a solid organization involved in the defense of human rights, and in 2024. We celebrate 15 years!

Because we are confident that the best way to carry out our work is in a network and collectively, we thank the organizations, communities and individuals who were part of these initiatives. We celebrate with you our progress and invite you to get to know the Yearbook 2023: the collective memory of our commitment to a more just, equitable, sustainable and democratic society.

 

VIEW ANNUARY 2023

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Representatives of civil society meet with president of the IDB

Representatives of civil society meet with the president of the IDB to address challenges for sustainable and inclusive development in Latin America. At the meeting, recommendations were presented to the bank to strengthen the promotion of sustainable development in the region.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”.

25 civil society organizations from Latin America that are part of the IDB Working Group, among them Fundeps, met on Friday, November 10, with the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Ilan Goldfajn, with the purpose of strengthening dialogue and identify opportunities to bring the institution closer to the populations of the region it tries to serve.

The representatives of civil society presented to President Goldfajn recommendations to strengthen the link with civil society and communities impacted by IDB projects and recommendations to consider in the IDB’s 2023-2030 Institutional Strategy, which is in the process of being prepared. President Goldfajn then opened the floor to listen to specific topics of interest from different member organizations of the group.

The IDB Working Group described the meeting as a positive sign from the bank’s new administration, in the sense of an openness and willingness to strengthen dialogue with civil society. The meeting with President Goldfajn follows a previous meeting that took place during the 2023 IDB Annual Meeting held in March in Panama, and a meeting with the IDB Country Vice President, Anabel González, during the Common Finance Summit that took place in last September in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

“These spaces for dialogue represent a sign of the bank’s rapprochement with civil society”, said Carolina Juaneda, from the Bank Information Center, coordinator of the Working Group on the IDB. According to Ivahanna Larrosa, regional coordinator of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development, “the general perception is that it was a good meeting to present our messages and move forward in improving the bank’s dialogue with civil society.”

Civil society representatives pointed out that the IDB Group’s 2023-2030 Institutional Strategy must promote a fair, community-based energy transition that puts people and the environment at the center. Other recommendations of the Working Group were that the bank: comply with the highest environmental and social standards and respect for human rights in its activities and the projects it finances, prioritizing and strengthening the implementation of the Environmental and Social Policy Framework (MPAS), and improving upstream planning to identify suitable projects; prioritizing quality investments, redoubling the principles of good governance, especially transparency, access to information, participation and accountability; strengthen your commitment to the impacted communities, guaranteeing comprehensive reparation to people; ensure a responsible exit from unsustainable projects and operationalize the commitment not to tolerate retaliation.

Civil society organizations seek substantive participation in the IDB Group Annual Meetings that will be held in March 2024 in the Dominican Republic. The opening of President Goldfajn and his team to work towards greater interaction of organizations and communities in the region, with the Bank’s administration and teams, is celebrated.

About the IDB Working Group

The IDB Working Group is a group of more than 60 civil society organizations, both from the region and internationally, that influence the IDB Group, promoting the highest environmental, social and human rights standards. supporting communities adversely impacted by projects financed by the bank. Some of its members have been working for three decades to strengthen the IDB’s processes of participation, transparency, access to information and respect for human rights.

 

More Information

 

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org