June 23, 2026
CAF has announced plans to invest US$10 billion by 2031 to support projects aimed at strengthening regional integration throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to a CAF press release, the funding will be directed toward key sectors including physical and digital infrastructure, intra-regional trade, food security, energy, tourism, innovation, logistics, and mobility. CAF said the investment is intended to improve connectivity, reduce development disparities, and enhance the region’s competitiveness as countries navigate an increasingly complex global landscape.
The press release said that the initiative underscores CAF’s ongoing commitment to regional integration as a catalyst for sustainable development, economic growth, and resilience. The institution said it will support projects designed to strengthen regional value chains, accelerate the energy transition, improve food security, facilitate trade, and create new opportunities for businesses and citizens across the region.
The announcement was made by CAF Executive President Sergio Díaz-Granados following discussions held during the International Forum on Regional Integration in Cartagena, Colombia, in May. The forum, organized by CAF, brought together government officials, representatives of multilateral organizations, private sector leaders, academics, and development partners to explore practical strategies for advancing integration across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Reportedly, Caribbean representatives played an active role in the discussions. Participants included Timothy Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank; Ambassador Wayne McCook, Assistant Secretary-General of CARICOM; Ian Durant, Director of Economics at the Caribbean Development Bank; Martín Portillo, Chief Engagement Manager for Central America and the Dominican Republic at CCRIF; and Natalie McGuire, Curator at the Barbados Museum & Historical Society.
Díaz-Granados described regional integration as “a development, competitiveness, and global positioning imperative for Latin America and the Caribbean.”
[L-R] Ms. Natalie McGuire, Curator at the Barbados Museum & Historical Society; Mr Martín Portillo, Chief Engagement Manager for Central America and Dominican Republic at CCRIF; Mr. Ian Durant, Director of Economics at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB); Mr. Sergio Díaz-Granados, Executive President of CAF; Dr. Stacy Richards-Kennedy, Regional Manager for the Caribbean at CAF; Mr. Timothy Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank; Ambassador Wayne McCook, Assistant Secretary-General of CARICOMAs per the release, he noted that geopolitical tensions, fragmented trade systems, financial market volatility, and broader global uncertainty have increased the urgency for countries in the region to work more closely together. According to Díaz-Granados, deeper integration will help nations strengthen their participation in global value chains, advance clean energy initiatives, improve food security, and adapt to shifting patterns in global production.
“Integration is the answer to protecting our strategic ecosystems, creating jobs, addressing informality, and defending the democratic values that underpin our coexistence, freedom, and future,” he said.
A major outcome of the forum was the signing of the “Declaration on the Convergence of the Processes and Mechanisms of Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean” by 15 regional institutions.
The declaration calls for a more coordinated and strategic approach to integration by encouraging greater alignment among the various regional mechanisms and organizations already operating across Latin America and the Caribbean. The objective is to better coordinate resources, priorities, and expertise, while reducing duplication of efforts and maximizing opportunities for collaboration.
Among the organizations signing the declaration were the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA), the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI), and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), along with several other regional institutions.
CAF highlighted its longstanding support for integration efforts throughout the region. Over the past three decades, the institution says it has approved 118 credit operations valued at US$16.73 billion for projects related to regional integration. During the last five years, it has expanded those efforts through investments focused on physical connectivity, productive development, digital transformation, energy integration, and environmental conservation.
Looking ahead, Díaz-Granados emphasized the need to move beyond planning and accelerate implementation.
“Regional integration has already achieved important progress, but it must now enter a more ambitious phase of implementation. Fewer barriers, more infrastructure. Fewer diagnoses, more projects,” he concluded.
CAF Executive President, Sergio Díaz-Granados addresses International Forum on Regional Integration in Cartagena, Colombia